SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    HB 1126

            AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, APRIL 8, 1991

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for nursing facilities.

SPONSORS:Representatives Braddock and Orr; by request of Dept. of Social and Health Services.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG‑TERM CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators West, Chairman; L. Smith, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Johnson, L. Kreidler, Niemi, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Don Sloma (786‑7414)

Hearing Dates:March 28, 1991; April 1, 1991

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hayner, Johnson, L. Kreidler, Matson, Metcalf, Murray, Newhouse, Niemi, Owen, Rinehart, Saling, L. Smith, Talmadge, West, Williams, and Wojahn. 

Staff:  Judy Fitzgerald (786-7715)

Hearing Dates:April 4, 1991; April 8, 1991

BACKGROUND:

IN 1987 Congress passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA).  The act eliminated the Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF) designation in the Medicaid program.  As a result, all nursing homes must meet skilled Nursing Facility (NF) requirements to receive Medicaid funding.  Until the change some NFs were classed as ICFs.  The change will require ICFs to include 24-hour per day Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) coverage with at least two 16-hour shifts of Registered Nurse (RN) coverage.  Currently ICFs must have one shift of LPN coverage.

In addition, OBRA changed federal nursing home admission and utilization review requirements.  Nursing homes must complete a standardized assessment called the Minimum Data Set (MDS).  The MDS is completed for each resident upon admission and updated annually.

SUMMARY:

State statutory references to ICFs are eliminated placing all such facilities under state and federal skilled nursing facility requirements. 

Current state statutes requiring 30 and 60 day nursing home placement reviews are deleted.  DSHS is required to develop a comprehensive plan for nursing home utilization review.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

This is needed to implement federal requirements.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Cathy Wiggins, Department of Social & Health Services (pro)