FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5967

                          C 376 L 99

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Determining nursing home bed capacity.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Loveland and Rasmussen).

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:  A nursing facility which wishes to construct new or to replace existing beds must obtain a certificate of need from the Department of Health.  In 1989, the Department of Health adopted rules which set the nursing home bed need standard at 45 beds per thousand residents aged 65 and older.  No additional nursing home beds may be opened in counties which exceed this standard.  Additional beds may be opened in other counties but, until the statewide bed total is below 45 per thousand, these generally must be beds which are being transferred from counties which are over the need standard.  Statewide, the 45 per thousand standard was reached in late 1998.

Summary:  Through June 30, 2004, the nursing home bed need standard is set at 40 beds per thousand residents aged 65 and older.  No additional nursing home beds may be constructed unless the Department of Health determines that additional beds are needed in a particular area in order to be closer to the persons served.  Nursing home beds may be redistributed from areas which are over the 40 per thousand standard to those which are below it.

A supplemental inflationary adjustment is provided for nursing homes whose total rate would otherwise be less than their April 1, 1999 rate, adjusted for case-mix changes.

Appropriation:  $1.8 million ($860,000 GF-S).

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 44 0

House     96 0 (House amended)

Senate    46 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 1, 1999