SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5035

             AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE,

                               FEBRUARY 19, 1991

Brief Description:  Providing for a skilled nursing care center for veterans in eastern Washington.

SPONSORS:Senators Rasmussen, Madsen and Nelson.

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, and L. Kreidler. 

Staff:  Don Sloma (786‑7414)

Hearing Dates: February 14, 1991; February 19, 1991

BACKGROUND:

There are two Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) homes in Washington.  They are the Soldiers' Home and Colony located in Orting serving 198 veterans and the Veterans' Home located in Retsil serving 413 veterans.  In addition, there are some 1,500 to 2,000 veterans in Medicaid nursing home beds in Washington. 

The DVA projects major increases in the numbers of indigent veterans needing nursing home care in coming years.  DVA believes additional state operated nursing home beds are needed, particularly in eastern Washington.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Veterans Affairs must complete planning and design work for a skilled nursing care center for veterans in time for the project to be submitted for federal veterans affairs matching funds.  The matching funds deadline is August of 1992. 

The facility must be constructed in eastern Washington and must contain 120 to 180 skilled nursing care beds.

The Department of Veterans Affairs must operate the facility at a service level no less than that provided at the state Veterans' Home and the state Soldiers' Home and Colony.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

Veterans need a veterans' home in eastern Washington.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Chuck Towne, AXPOW; Keith Sherman, Vets Legislative Coalition (pro); Bill Merifield, Military Order of the Purple Heart (pro); Fred R. Smelser, Jr., DAV (pro); Beau Berger, WDVA (pro)