6002-S AMS HOBB MATC 285

SSB 6002 - S AMD 555

By Senators Hobbs, Hatfield

ADOPTED 02/27/2014

    On page 78, line 15, increase the general fund--federal appropriation by $13,518,000

    On page 78, line 21, increase the skilled nursing facility safety net trust account--state appropriation by $22,479,000

    Adjust the total appropriation accordingly.

    On page 78, line 28, after "exceed" strike "$171.58" and insert "(($171.58))$178.82"

    On page 79, line 9, after "(a)" strike "Within" and insert "For fiscal year 2014 within"

    On page 79, beginning on line 16, insert "For fiscal year 2015 within funds provided, the department shall continue to provide an add-on per medicaid resident day per facility not to exceed $3.15. The add-on shall be used to increase wages, benefits, and/or staffing levels for certified nurse aides; or to increase wages and/or benefits for dietary aides, housekeepers, laundry aides, or any other category of worker whose statewide average dollars-per-hour wage was less than $17 in calendar year 2012, according to cost report data."

    On page 79, line 24, after "excluding" insert "the low wage worker add-on, the direct care add-on found in subsection (1) (g) of this section,"

    On page 79, line 33, after "excluding" insert "the low wage worker add-on, the direct care add-on found in subsection (1) (g) of this section,"

    On page 80, line 11, after "(c)," strike "and (d)" and insert "((and (d))) (d), and (g)"

    On page 80, after line 12, insert the following:

    "(g) For fiscal year 2015, the department shall provide a direct care rate add-on applied evenly cross all nursing facilities of no more than six percent of the direct care payment rate calculated according to chapter 74.46, RCW. This subsection (g) is not subject to the reconciliation and settlement process provided in 74.46.022(6).”

EFFECT: The nursing home assessment fee is increased from the current 4 percent to 5.82 percent on total revenues. This results in an increase to the fee from $14/per patient day to approximately $21/per patient day. Federal revenue which is leveraged with the assessment fee is used to increase nursing home rates by $7.24 on average per day. Of that, $1.58 per day is directed to the low wage worker add-on. The remainder is provided to a direct care vendor rate increase of no more than six percent applied evenly to all facilities.

FISCAL EFFECT: Increases Other Funds by $35,997,000.

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