HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      HB 2811

                           As Passed Legislature

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;

Passed Legislature.

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.

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.