HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5436

As Reported by House Committee On:

Health Care & Wellness

Title: An act relating to continuing the work of the joint legislative executive committee on aging and disability.

Brief Description: Concerning the joint legislative executive committee on aging and disability.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Senators Bailey and Dammeier).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Health Care & Wellness: 3/20/15, 3/26/15 [DPA].

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Cody, Chair; Riccelli, Vice Chair; Clibborn, Jinkins, Johnson, Moeller, Robinson, Tharinger and Van De Wege.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 5 members: Representatives Schmick, Ranking Minority Member; Harris, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Caldier, Rodne and Short.

Staff: Chris Blake (786-7392).

Background:

The 2013-15 Operating Budget established the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Disability Issues (Committee). The Committee was comprised of four members of the House of Representatives, four members of the Senate, and four representatives from the following Executive Branch agencies: the Governor's Office, the Department of Retirement Systems, the Health Care Authority, and the Department of Social and Health Services.

The Committee was formed to identify strategies to prepare for the aging of Washington's population. It was specifically tasked with:

• profiling Washington's older population and population with disabilities;

• inventorying services and supports for aging and disabled populations;

• reviewing ways to slow the growth rate of state expenditures for these populations;

• considering ways to promote health and meet the health care needs of these populations;

• identifying financing options and ways to encourage private saving for long-term care needs;

• considering ways to promote financial security in retirement and support those remaining in the workforce; and

• reviewing community options for housing, land use, and transportation.

The Committee met for two interims and issued its final report in December 2015. The Committee's final report covered the following 10 categories of policy options: insurance, Community First Choice Option, retirement planning, long-term care planning, client safety, system changes, Committee continuance, healthy living, technology, and workforce.

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Summary of Amended Bill:

The Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Disability (Committee) is established. The Committee is comprised of 13 members, including four from the House of Representatives, four from the Senate, and five from the Executive Branch. The members from the Executive Branch are representatives from the Governor's Office, the Department of Social and Health Services, the Health Care Authority, the Department of Retirement Systems, and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

The stated purpose of the Committee is to identify strategic actions to prepare for the aging of the population by:

• identifying options to use resources more effectively to reduce the growth rate in state expenditures for the aging and disabled demographic;

• identifying strategies to better serve the health care needs of older people and people with disabilities and promote healthy living, including the use of technology;

• considering the recommendations of the Bree Collaborative related to advance care planning and developing strategies to implement those recommendations;

• reviewing the regulation of continuing care retirement communities and ways to protect residents;

• identifying the needs of older people and people with disabilities for high quality guardianship services;

• identifying options for promoting client safety through residential care services and protecting older people and people with disabilities from physical abuse and financial exploitation;

• identifying policy options to create financing mechanisms for long-term services and supports that will promote private responsibility for individuals and families to meet their needs for services;

• identifying policies to promote financial security in retirement, support those who wish to stay in the workforce longer, and expand the availability of workplace retirement savings; and

• identifying options to help communities adapt to an aging demographic with respect to planning for housing, land use, and transportation.

The Committee will meet through December 1, 2017. The Committee will be supported by staff from the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Office of Financial Management, and the Department of Social and Health Services.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:

The amended bill makes the member of the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Disability (Committee) from the Office of the Governor a voting member. The Insurance Commissioner is added to the Committee as an ex officio member.

The amended bill removes the requirements that the Committee establish a demographic profile and an inventory of services and supports for older people and people with disabilities. When identifying options to reduce the growth rate in state expenditures due to the population, consideration is to be given specifically to the aging and disabled demographic. The Committee must consider the use of technology among the strategies to serve the health needs of the aging and disabled populations. The Committee must consider the implementation of the Bree Collaborative's recommendations regarding advance care planning and develop implementation strategies. The Committee must review continuing care retirement communities, the need for guardianships, and ways to promote client safety and protect older people and people with disabilities from physical abuse and financial exploitation.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) There were several topics that the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Disability Issues (Committee) was not able to cover and the Committee needs more time. Several items for the Committee have been accomplished, but others need to be considered, such as advance care planning, technology, and guardianships. There is wide unanimity in the aging and disability community that the Committee needs to continue. In 15 years, one out of every five people in Washington will be over the age of 65. The Committee has worked extremely well and has recommended that it continue. The Committee has been very productive and has many other emerging issues to address. Having a bicameral, bipartisan group to listen to citizens is important, especially as people get older.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Johnson; Representative Tharinger; Jerry Reilly, Eldercare Alliance; and Charlie McCarthy.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.