Title: An act relating to the provision of services for nonresident individuals residing in long-term care settings.

Brief Description: Concerning the provision of services for nonresident individuals residing in long-term care settings.

Sponsors: By Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Keiser, Deccio, Thibaudeau and Fairley).

Brief History:

Health Care: 2/21/06 [DPA].

Floor Activity:

Passed House - Amended: 2/28/06, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Cody, Chair; Campbell, Vice Chair; Morrell, Vice Chair; Hinkle, Ranking Minority Member; Curtis, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Alexander, Appleton, Bailey, Clibborn, Condotta, Green, Lantz, Moeller, Schual-Berke and Skinner.

Staff: Dave Knutson (786-7146).

Background:

Supportive services, limited health care services, and wellness programs often allow residents of retirement/senior housing the ability to remain independent and in their own homes for as long as possible. A nonresident living in retirement/senior housing within a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) has ready access to support services, limited health care services, and wellness programs.

A CCRC provides different levels of care ranging from independent living to assisted living to skilled nursing care under a continuing care contract. A continuing care contract is a contract to provide a person shelter along with nursing, medical, health-related, or personal care services, which is conditioned upon payment of an entrance fee, transfer of property, or the payment of periodic charges for the care and services involved.

Currently, a nonresident residing in independent senior housing can receive very specific health services such as: (1) assistance on an emergency basis; (2) infrequent, voluntary, and non-scheduled blood pressure checks; (3) nurse referral services; (4) assistance with making health care appointments; and (5) services customarily provided under landlord tenant agreements.

Health care assistants are unlicensed individuals who assist other licensed health care practitioners, such as physicians and registered nurses, in providing health care to patients. Health care assistants can be certified by a health care facility or a health care practitioner.

Summary of Amended Bill:

A CCRC may provide supportive services to a nonresident living in the independent senior housing setting in an effort to promote and prolong independence. The supportive services are enumerated within the bill and include: (1) blood pressure monitoring following a medication change; (2) blood glucose monitoring; and (3) assistance with compression stocking.

The bill contains additional language stating that a nonresident of a CCRC, a person residing in an unlicensed apartment within a boarding home, or other independent retirement/senior housing, may receive adult day services as defined in statute.

Health care assistants are permitted to conduct blood drawing procedures on research study participants in the residences of the research study participants as long as they do so as part of a research study authorized by the institutional review board of a comprehensive cancer center or a nonprofit degree-granting institution of higher education. Blood drawing procedures must be conducted under the general supervision of a physician.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This change will allow seniors to remain independent longer. Individuals participating in cancer research studies will be able to help advance medical knowledge.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Senator Keiser, prime sponsor; Representative Clibborn; Kary Hyre, Long Term Care Ombudsman; Nora Gibson, Washington Adult Day Services Association; Hilke Faber, Resident Councils of Washington; Dr. Stephen Schwartz and Gerianne Sands, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and Julie Peterson, Washington Association of Housing and Services for the Aging.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.