Brief Description: Removing expiration of reporting to the legislature of holding a boarding home medicaid eligible resident's room or unit.

Sponsors: Senators Keiser, Deccio, Zarelli and Spanel.

Hearing Date: 2/21/06

Staff: Dave Knutson (786-7146).

Background:

Under existing law, boarding homes contracting to provide adult residential care (ARC), enhanced adult residential care (EARC), or assisted living (AL) services must hold a Medicaid resident's bed or unit up to twenty days when short-term care is needed in a nursing home or hospital, the resident is likely to return to the boarding home, and the Department of Social and Health Services pays the boarding home to hold the bed or unit.

During the first seven days of a resident's absence, the per day bed or unit hold compensation is 70 percent of the daily rate paid. The rate for the eighth through twentieth day is established by rule but cannot be less than $10 per day.

The boarding home may seek third-party payment to hold a bed or unit from the twenty-first day onward. The third-party payment cannot exceed the Medicaid daily rate paid to the facility for the resident.

The current bed hold policy is set to expire on June 30, 2006.

Summary of Bill:

Removes the expiration date of the current bed hold policy.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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