SCOPE AND OBJECT RULING ON E2SHB 1850 APRIL 27, 1997
REQUESTED BY REPRESENTATIVE H. SOMMERS
PRESENTED BY SPEAKER BALLARD
The title of House Bill No. 1850 is "AN ACT Relating to the long-term care reorganization and standards of care reform act." The title is very broad. HB 1850 amends numerious sections of the RCW=s related to health care issues, adds new sections and chapters to the RCW's that deal with health care issues; repeals several RCW's; prescribes penalties; provides effective and expiration dates; and declares an emergency.
E2SHB 1850 is a comprehensive bill making extensive changes to current law in order to improve and expand community long-term care options while maintaining standards of care.
Section 101 declares in part that the state's current fragmented categorical system for administering services to persons with disabilities and the elderly perpetuates difficulty in matching client needs and services to multiple categorical funding sources, and that to meet the significant and growing long-term care needs into the near future, rapid, fundamental changes must take place in the way we finance, organize, and provide long-term care services to the chronically functionally disabled.
Section 207 of the conference report attempts to accomplish this in part by providing enhanced residential care services for up to 180 clients who would otherwise be served in nursing homes or assisted living. Reimbursement for this care is established at no less than 35% and no greater than 40% of the nursing home rate.
Section 207 of the the conference report addresses reforms that include cost-effective options for consumers who would otherwise be placed in higher level nursing home settings. This is rationally related to the original purposes of the bill to establish fundamental reforms including funding sources and financing of care.
The Speaker finds that section 207 of the conference report is not beyond the scope and object of the bill.
Representative H. Sommers, your Point of Order is not well taken.