S-2862.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5967
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State of Washington 56th Legislature 1999 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Loveland and Rasmussen)
Read first time 04/21/1999.
AN ACT Relating to human services; modifying the nursing home certificate of need bed ratio; adding new sections to chapter 70.38 RCW; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 70.38 RCW to read as follows:
(1) In determining the need for nursing home beds on a state-wide basis and a planning area specific basis, the department shall calculate the need for nursing home beds based on the bed-to-population ratio of forty beds per one thousand persons age sixty-five and older. The department shall find no need for additional nursing home beds if the state is at or above the state-wide estimated bed need, unless the department finds that additional beds are needed in order to be located reasonably close to the people they serve, and the department explains such approval in writing.
(2) The department may put under review and subsequently approve or deny an application that proposes to redistribute nursing home bed capacity to a planning area that has a bed-to-population ratio that is under the established ratio.
(3) The department may put under review and subsequently approve or deny an application that proposes to add beds in a planning area that has a bed-to-population ratio that is under the established ratio using beds banked under the provisions of RCW 70.38.115(13).
(4) The department may not consider applications that would redistribute existing nursing home capacity within a planning area that is above the established bed-to-population ratio.
(5) This section expires June 30, 2004.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 70.38 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The need for projects identified in section 1 of this act shall be determined using the individual planning area's estimated nursing home bed need ratio and includes but is not limited to the following criteria:
(a) The current capacity of nursing homes and other long-term care services;
(b) The occupancy rates of nursing homes and other long-term care services over the previous two-year period; and
(c) The ability of the other long-term care services to serve all people regardless of payor source.
(2) For the purposes of this section, nursing home beds include long-term care units or distinct part long-term care units located in a hospital that is licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW.
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