The bill addresses the issue of unintentional overpayments affecting older adults and individuals with disabilities who receive services from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in Washington State. It amends RCW 43.20B.030 to establish new timeframes for the collection of overpayments and debts owed to the department. Specifically, the bill reduces the time limit for the department to cease collection efforts from ten years to a specified ten years from the notice of overpayment and extends the period for collection of debts related to recorded liens from twenty years to a specified twenty years. Additionally, the bill allows the department to waive collection efforts for unintentional overpayments for clients in certain assistance programs starting July 1, 2025, and mandates the adoption of rules to outline the circumstances under which these waivers will occur.

Furthermore, the bill provides the department with the authority to accept offers of compromise for disputed claims and to grant partial or total write-offs of debts when pursuing collection is no longer cost-effective. It also allows the department to waive collection efforts if the criteria for equitable estoppel are met. The act is deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, or safety, and is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 43.20B.030
Substitute Bill: 43.20B.030