SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 6434

            AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES,

                               FEBRUARY 7, 1992

Brief Description:  Providing basic health plan coverage to foster parents.

SPONSORS: Senators Stratton, Snyder, Talmadge, M. Kreidler and Pelz

SENATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

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

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chairman; L. Smith, Vice Chairman; Craswell, Stratton, and Talmadge.

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786‑7472)

Hearing Dates: February 6, 1992; February 7, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Recruitment and retention of quality foster parents is a growing concern, due in part to the increasingly demanding nature of the foster care environment, and the financial burden to foster families, approximately 60 percent of whose costs are covered by the state foster care system.

One reflection of the financial burden on foster parents is the high cost and difficulty experienced by some foster parents in obtaining adequate, affordable health care coverage.

Washington currently has a statutory scheme of basic health plan coverage, the Health Care Access Act, making coverage available within specific income and enrollment limits.

SUMMARY:

Licensed foster parents are eligible to enroll in the Washington "basic health plan" on a wholly subsidized basis.  The plan administrator gives priority to making the plan available to foster parents, whose enrollment does not count against statutory enrollment ceilings.

Appropriation:  unspecified

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested February 4, 1992

TESTIMONY FOR:

Benefits are needed to offset the high cost of foster care families and to retain and recruit foster parents.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Diana Roberts, DCFS - DSHS; Darlene Flowers, Foster Parents of Washington State; Dawn English, Judy Golphenee, foster parents