HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 EHB 2193

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to renal disease facility health care assistants.

Brief Description:  Exempting certain renal disease facilities from health care assistant licensing requirements.

Sponsors:  Representatives Veloria, Lisk and Dyer.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Health Care, January 25, 1994, DPA;

  Passed House, February 4, 1994, 92-0;

  Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 16 members:  Representatives Dellwo, Chair; L. Johnson, Vice Chair; Dyer, Ranking Minority Member; Ballasiotes, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Backlund; Conway; Cooke; Flemming; R. Johnson; Lemmon; Lisk; Mastin; Morris; Thibaudeau and Veloria.

Staff:  John Welsh (786-7133).

Background:  Health care assistants are unlicensed persons who assist a licensed health provider in providing health care to patients.

By law, health care assistants can be certified by a health care facility to administer injections and perform minor invasive procedures under the supervision of a health care practitioner, in accordance with requirements established by the secretary of the Department of Health.  The health care facility must provide the licensing authority with a certified roster of health care assistants who have been certified by the health care authority, and must pay certification fees.

The Department of Health has exempted federally-approved end stage renal dialysis facilities from the requirements of certification because their health care assistants already meet federally-approved training standards.  However, because of an attorney-general opinion, this exemption is not clear.

Summary:  Federally approved end-stage renal facilities are expressly exempted from thee requirements of certification and the payment of certification fees.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The bill clarifies the authority of the department to make this exemption.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Christopher Blagg, Northwest Kidney Center (pro).