HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5501

                 As Passed House - Amended:

                       April 13, 1995

Title:  An act relating to hospital regulation and inspection.

Brief Description:  Streamlining hospital regulation and inspection.

Sponsors:  Senators Bauer, Rinehart, Oke, Prince and Wojahn; by request of Legislative Budget Committee.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Health Care:  3/24/95, 3/31/95 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Amended.

Passed House:  4/13/95, 95-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Dyer, Chairman; Backlund, Vice Chairman; Hymes, Vice Chairman; Cody, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell; Casada; Conway; Crouse; Kessler; Morris; Sherstad and Skinner.

Staff: John Welsh  (786-7133).

Background:  The Health Services Act of 1993 directed the Legislative Budget Committee to study hospital health and safety regulations in Washington State, focusing on the regulations' cost and effectiveness.  The study focused on eight areas perceived to be problematic, and found that while the regulatory areas reviewed are valuable for protecting the public's health and safety, there are several opportunities for eliminating duplication and streamlining the regulatory process.

The state Certificate of Need program is designed to ensure the construction of only  those new hospitals and health facilities and services that promote access to high quality, needed care at reasonable cost.

Summary of Bill:  Several of the recommendations of the Legislative Budget Committee are enacted including: setting minimum rules and standards for hospitals that are consistent with the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHCO); coordinating inspections between the Department of Social and Health Services and the Department of Health to avoid duplication; studying alternative strategies for achieving greater efficiency in the hospital building and design review process.

Hospitals are removed from the Certificate of Need program.  Home health agencies operated by hospitals in counties with a population of under 20,000 are also removed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The implementation of these Legislative Budget Committee study recommendations will go far in achieving efficiencies in the hospital regulatory program.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Robb Menaul, Washington State Hospital Association (pro).