HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2811

                  As Amended by the Senate

Title:  An act relating to the reimbursement of facilities specifically authorized to meet the needs of persons living with AIDS.

Brief Description:  Exempting excess nursing supplies cost from the reimbursement of the pilot facility for persons living with AIDS.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Braddock, Locke, H. Sommers, Wang, Prentice, Moyer, Schmidt, Paris, Wineberry and Anderson.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Appropriations, February 4, 1992, DP;

Passed House, February 17, 1992, 97-0;

Amended by Senate.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 28 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Morton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Belcher; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Carlson; Dorn; Ferguson; Fuhrman; Hine; Lisk; Mielke; Nealey; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; D. Sommers; H. Sommers; Sprenkle; Valle; Vance; Wang; and Wineberry.

Staff:  John Woolley (786-7154).

Background:  The state's nursing home reimbursement rate is set in statute--limits are placed on costs which can be reimbursed.  One such limit is placed on the Operations and Administration (A&O) Cost Center; this limit is referred to as the "85th percentile lid," meaning that any home's total A&O cost is limited to the cost of homes at the 85th percentile of all nursing homes.  An inflation factor is applied to this lid.

Summary of Bill:  The bill would exempt a specific pilot facility, developed to meet the needs of persons with AIDS, from the "85th percentile" cost lid specifically for the costs associated with nursing supplies.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S): The Senate added a null and void clause.  If the bill is not referenced and funded in the budget, it is null and void.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The bill is required to allow for the increased costs related to caring for AIDS patients in a skilled nursing facility; however, even with these increased costs, the state is saving money by providing care outside of a hospital setting.  This is a cost effective model.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:   (In favor): Betsey Lieberman, AIDS Housing of Washington; and Melissa Prindle, NW AIDS Foundation.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Yeas 97; Excused 1

Excused:  Representative Hochstatter