HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1536

                  As Amended by the Senate

Title:  An act relating to hospice benefits.

Brief Description:  Continuing hospice services an additional two years for medical assistance recipients.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Anderson, Moyer, Sprenkle, Paris, Wynne, Jacobsen and Winsley.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Appropriations, March 5, 1991, DP;

Passed House, March 14, 1991, 96-0;

Amended by Senate.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 29 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Morton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Belcher; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Dorn; Ebersole; Ferguson; Fuhrman; Hine; Holland; Lisk; May; McLean; Mielke; Nealey; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; H. Sommers; Valle; Vance; Wang; and Wineberry.

Staff:  Wayne Kawakami (786-7384).

Background:  The 1990 legislative session extended optional Medicaid hospice benefits through the end of the current biennium.  Hospice care is generally recognized as the broad spectrum of care provided to terminally ill patients.  The focus of hospice care is on physical and psychological comfort rather than cure.  The objective of hospice care is to keep the patient at home, with inpatient hospital care used only as necessary.

During the state fiscal year 1990, 26 eligible Medicaid recipients elected hospice services.  Current law includes a sunset provision for termination of the benefit on March 31, 1990.

Summary of Bill:  This bill extends the sunset of optional Medicaid hospice benefits to June 30, 1993. 

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S): The existing bill results in a one month gap in services due to the expiration of current services and the initiation of the extension of services.  The Senate amendment allows the hospice benefits to be extended without a lapse in services.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Hospices have proved to be cost effective.  Federal Health Care Finance Authority Rules have created confusion regarding Medicare and Medicaid coverage for hospice services.  This extension will permit time to resolve the coverage issue.  The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) supports the bill.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Elaine McIntosh and Betty Jorgensen, Washington State Hospice Organization; and Les James, DSHS.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Yeas 96; Nays 0; Excused 2

Excused:  Representatives Casada and Ferguson.