SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 1024

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

            Health & Long-Term Care, March 25, 1997

Title:  An act relating to the notice requirements for bringing beds out of the bank under certificate of need provisions.

Brief Description:  Shortening the notice time given by nursing homes to the department of health to convert beds back to nursing home beds.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Dyer, Cody, Skinner, Sherstad, Thompson, Carlson, D. Sommers, Sterk, Huff, L. Thomas, Cooke, Dunn, Mielke, Clements and Backlund).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Health & Long‑Term Care:  3/19/97, 3/25/97 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Deccio, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Benton, Fairley, Franklin, Strannigan and Wojahn.

Staff:  Jonathan Seib (786-7427)

Background:  The certificate of need program is administered by the Department of Health as a cost containment program designed to ensure the construction, development, or acquisition of only those new health care facilities and services which promote access to high quality and needed care at reasonable costs.  Nursing homes are among the facilities covered under the certificate of need law.

A certificate of need is required of a nursing home in order to increase the number of nursing home beds in the facility.  However, the law provides that a nursing home may Abank@ or hold in reserve any current beds in order to use the space for other related purposes that enhance the quality of life for residents.

Typically, a one-year notice is required to restore Abanked@ beds.  If construction is required to restore the Abanked@ beds, however, notice of intent to reconvert must be given to the department no later than two years prior to the modification.

An exemption from the requirement of a certificate of need is provided for Christian Science sanatoriums.

Summary of Bill:  A nursing home must give to the Department of Health a notice of intent to restore beds Abanked@ or held in reserve, at least 90 days prior to the modification.  If construction costing more than $1.2 million is required for the conversion of the beds back, the notice of intent must be made at least one year prior to the modification.

The religious exemption from the requirement for a certificate of need is clarified by recognizing any health facility or institution which relies exclusively upon treatment by prayer or spiritual means in accordance with the creed or tenets of any well-recognized church or religious denomination.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This is a straightforward bill supported by both DOH and DSHS.  The language in the bill regarding Christian Science nursing homes is similar to language on this issue in other statutes.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Scott Sigmon, Washington Health Care Association; Cliff Armstrong, Christian Science Churches.