SSB 6158 -
By Senators Keiser, Parlette
ADOPTED 04/20/2007
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 74.46.410 and 2001 1st sp.s. c 8 s 3 are each amended
to read as follows:
(1) Costs will be unallowable if they are not documented,
necessary, ordinary, and related to the provision of care services to
authorized patients.
(2) Unallowable costs include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(a) Costs of items or services not covered by the medical care
program. Costs of such items or services will be unallowable even if
they are indirectly reimbursed by the department as the result of an
authorized reduction in patient contribution;
(b) Costs of services and items provided to recipients which are
covered by the department's medical care program but not included in
the medicaid per-resident day payment rate established by the
department under this chapter;
(c) Costs associated with a capital expenditure subject to section
1122 approval (part 100, Title 42 C.F.R.) if the department found it
was not consistent with applicable standards, criteria, or plans. If
the department was not given timely notice of a proposed capital
expenditure, all associated costs will be unallowable up to the date
they are determined to be reimbursable under applicable federal
regulations;
(d) Costs associated with a construction or acquisition project
requiring certificate of need approval, or exemption from the
requirements for certificate of need for the replacement of existing
nursing home beds, pursuant to chapter 70.38 RCW if such approval or
exemption was not obtained;
(e) Interest costs other than those provided by RCW 74.46.290 on
and after January 1, 1985;
(f) Salaries or other compensation of owners, officers, directors,
stockholders, partners, principals, participants, and others associated
with the contractor or its home office, including all board of
directors' fees for any purpose, except reasonable compensation paid
for service related to patient care;
(g) Costs in excess of limits or in violation of principles set
forth in this chapter;
(h) Costs resulting from transactions or the application of
accounting methods which circumvent the principles of the payment
system set forth in this chapter;
(i) Costs applicable to services, facilities, and supplies
furnished by a related organization in excess of the lower of the cost
to the related organization or the price of comparable services,
facilities, or supplies purchased elsewhere;
(j) Bad debts of non-Title XIX recipients. Bad debts of Title XIX
recipients are allowable if the debt is related to covered services, it
arises from the recipient's required contribution toward the cost of
care, the provider can establish that reasonable collection efforts
were made, the debt was actually uncollectible when claimed as
worthless, and sound business judgment established that there was no
likelihood of recovery at any time in the future;
(k) Charity and courtesy allowances;
(l) Cash, assessments, or other contributions, excluding dues, to
charitable organizations, professional organizations, trade
associations, or political parties, and costs incurred to improve
community or public relations;
(m) Vending machine expenses;
(n) Expenses for barber or beautician services not included in
routine care;
(o) Funeral and burial expenses;
(p) Costs of gift shop operations and inventory;
(q) Personal items such as cosmetics, smoking materials, newspapers
and magazines, and clothing, except those used in patient activity
programs;
(r) Fund-raising expenses, except those directly related to the
patient activity program;
(s) Penalties and fines;
(t) Expenses related to telephones, radios, and similar appliances
in patients' private accommodations;
(u) Televisions acquired prior to July 1, 2001;
(v) Federal, state, and other income taxes;
(w) Costs of special care services except where authorized by the
department;
(x) Expenses of an employee benefit not in fact made available to
all employees on an equal or fair basis, for example, key-man insurance
and other insurance or retirement plans;
(y) Expenses of profit-sharing plans;
(z) Expenses related to the purchase and/or use of private or
commercial airplanes which are in excess of what a prudent contractor
would expend for the ordinary and economic provision of such a
transportation need related to patient care;
(aa) Personal expenses and allowances of owners or relatives;
(bb) All expenses of maintaining professional licenses or
membership in professional organizations;
(cc) Costs related to agreements not to compete;
(dd) Amortization of goodwill, lease acquisition, or any other
intangible asset, whether related to resident care or not, and whether
recognized under generally accepted accounting principles or not;
(ee) Expenses related to vehicles which are in excess of what a
prudent contractor would expend for the ordinary and economic provision
of transportation needs related to patient care;
(ff) Legal and consultant fees in connection with a fair hearing
against the department where a decision is rendered in favor of the
department or where otherwise the determination of the department
stands;
(gg) Legal and consultant fees of a contractor or contractors in
connection with a lawsuit against the department;
(hh) Lease acquisition costs, goodwill, the cost of bed rights, or
any other intangible assets;
(ii) All rental or lease costs other than those provided in RCW
74.46.300 on and after January 1, 1985;
(jj) Postsurvey charges incurred by the facility as a result of
subsequent inspections under RCW 18.51.050 which occur beyond the first
postsurvey visit during the certification survey calendar year;
(kk) Compensation paid for any purchased nursing care services,
including registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, and nurse
assistant services, obtained through service contract arrangement in
excess of the amount of compensation paid for such hours of nursing
care service had they been paid at the average hourly wage, including
related taxes and benefits, for in-house nursing care staff of like
classification at the same nursing facility, as reported in the most
recent cost report period;
(ll) For all partial or whole rate periods after July 17, 1984,
costs of land and depreciable assets that cannot be reimbursed under
the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 and implementing state statutory and
regulatory provisions;
(mm) Costs reported by the contractor for a prior period to the
extent such costs, due to statutory exemption, will not be incurred by
the contractor in the period to be covered by the rate;
(nn) Costs of outside activities, for example, costs allocated to
the use of a vehicle for personal purposes or related to the part of a
facility leased out for office space;
(oo) Travel expenses outside the states of Idaho, Oregon, and
Washington and the province of British Columbia. However, travel to or
from the home or central office of a chain organization operating a
nursing facility is allowed whether inside or outside these areas if
the travel is necessary, ordinary, and related to resident care;
(pp) Moving expenses of employees in the absence of demonstrated,
good-faith effort to recruit within the states of Idaho, Oregon, and
Washington, and the province of British Columbia;
(qq) Depreciation in excess of four thousand dollars per year for
each passenger car or other vehicle primarily used by the
administrator, facility staff, or central office staff;
(rr) Costs for temporary health care personnel from a nursing pool
not registered with the secretary of the department of health;
(ss) Payroll taxes associated with compensation in excess of
allowable compensation of owners, relatives, and administrative
personnel;
(tt) Costs and fees associated with filing a petition for
bankruptcy;
(uu) All advertising or promotional costs, except reasonable costs
of help wanted advertising;
(vv) Outside consultation expenses required to meet department-required minimum data set completion proficiency;
(ww) Interest charges assessed by any department or agency of this
state for failure to make a timely refund of overpayments and interest
expenses incurred for loans obtained to make the refunds;
(xx) All home office or central office costs, whether on or off the
nursing facility premises, and whether allocated or not to specific
services, in excess of the median of those adjusted costs for all
facilities reporting such costs for the most recent report period;
((and))
(yy) Tax expenses that a nursing facility has never incurred; and
(zz) Effective July 1, 2007, and for all future rate settings, any
costs associated with the quality maintenance fee repealed by chapter
241, Laws of 2006.
Sec. 2 RCW 74.46.431 and 2006 c 258 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Effective July 1, 1999, nursing facility medicaid payment rate
allocations shall be facility-specific and shall have seven components:
Direct care, therapy care, support services, operations, property,
financing allowance, and variable return. The department shall
establish and adjust each of these components, as provided in this
section and elsewhere in this chapter, for each medicaid nursing
facility in this state.
(2) Component rate allocations in therapy care, support services,
variable return, operations, property, and financing allowance for
essential community providers as defined in this chapter shall be based
upon a minimum facility occupancy of eighty-five percent of licensed
beds, regardless of how many beds are set up or in use. For all
facilities other than essential community providers, effective July 1,
2001, component rate allocations in direct care, therapy care, support
services, variable return, operations, property, and financing
allowance shall continue to be based upon a minimum facility occupancy
of eighty-five percent of licensed beds. For all facilities other than
essential community providers, effective July 1, 2002, the component
rate allocations in operations, property, and financing allowance shall
be based upon a minimum facility occupancy of ninety percent of
licensed beds, regardless of how many beds are set up or in use. For
all facilities, effective July 1, 2006, the component rate allocation
in direct care shall be based upon actual facility occupancy.
(3) Information and data sources used in determining medicaid
payment rate allocations, including formulas, procedures, cost report
periods, resident assessment instrument formats, resident assessment
methodologies, and resident classification and case mix weighting
methodologies, may be substituted or altered from time to time as
determined by the department.
(4)(a) Direct care component rate allocations shall be established
using adjusted cost report data covering at least six months. Adjusted
cost report data from 1996 will be used for October 1, 1998, through
June 30, 2001, direct care component rate allocations; adjusted cost
report data from 1999 will be used for July 1, 2001, through June 30,
2006, direct care component rate allocations. Adjusted cost report
data from 2003 will be used for July 1, 2006, ((and later)) through
June 30, 2007, direct care component rate allocations. Adjusted cost
report data from 2005 will be used for July 1, 2007, through June 30,
2009, direct care component rate allocations. Effective July 1, 2009,
the direct care component rate allocation shall be rebased biennially,
and thereafter for each odd-numbered year beginning July 1st, using the
adjusted cost report data for the calendar year two years immediately
preceding the rate rebase period, so that adjusted cost report data for
calendar year 2007 is used for July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2011, and
so forth.
(b) Direct care component rate allocations based on 1996 cost
report data shall be adjusted annually for economic trends and
conditions by a factor or factors defined in the biennial
appropriations act. A different economic trends and conditions
adjustment factor or factors may be defined in the biennial
appropriations act for facilities whose direct care component rate is
set equal to their adjusted June 30, 1998, rate, as provided in RCW
74.46.506(5)(i).
(c) Direct care component rate allocations based on 1999 cost
report data shall be adjusted annually for economic trends and
conditions by a factor or factors defined in the biennial
appropriations act. A different economic trends and conditions
adjustment factor or factors may be defined in the biennial
appropriations act for facilities whose direct care component rate is
set equal to their adjusted June 30, 1998, rate, as provided in RCW
74.46.506(5)(i).
(d) Direct care component rate allocations based on 2003 cost
report data shall be adjusted annually for economic trends and
conditions by a factor or factors defined in the biennial
appropriations act. A different economic trends and conditions
adjustment factor or factors may be defined in the biennial
appropriations act for facilities whose direct care component rate is
set equal to their adjusted June 30, 2006, rate, as provided in RCW
74.46.506(5)(i).
(e) Direct care component rate allocations shall be adjusted
annually for economic trends and conditions by a factor or factors
defined in the biennial appropriations act.
(5)(a) Therapy care component rate allocations shall be established
using adjusted cost report data covering at least six months. Adjusted
cost report data from 1996 will be used for October 1, 1998, through
June 30, 2001, therapy care component rate allocations; adjusted cost
report data from 1999 will be used for July 1, 2001, through June 30,
2005, therapy care component rate allocations. Adjusted cost report
data from 1999 will continue to be used for July 1, 2005, ((and later))
through June 30, 2007, therapy care component rate allocations.
Adjusted cost report data from 2005 will be used for July 1, 2007,
through June 30, 2009, therapy care component rate allocations.
Effective July 1, 2009, and thereafter for each odd-numbered year
beginning July 1st, the therapy care component rate allocation shall be
cost rebased biennially, using the adjusted cost report data for the
calendar year two years immediately preceding the rate rebase period,
so that adjusted cost report data for calendar year 2007 is used for
July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2011, and so forth.
(b) Therapy care component rate allocations shall be adjusted
annually for economic trends and conditions by a factor or factors
defined in the biennial appropriations act.
(6)(a) Support services component rate allocations shall be
established using adjusted cost report data covering at least six
months. Adjusted cost report data from 1996 shall be used for October
1, 1998, through June 30, 2001, support services component rate
allocations; adjusted cost report data from 1999 shall be used for July
1, 2001, through June 30, 2005, support services component rate
allocations. Adjusted cost report data from 1999 will continue to be
used for July 1, 2005, ((and later)) through June 30, 2007, support
services component rate allocations. Adjusted cost report data from
2005 will be used for July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009, support
services component rate allocations. Effective July 1, 2009, and
thereafter for each odd-numbered year beginning July 1st, the support
services component rate allocation shall be cost rebased biennially,
using the adjusted cost report data for the calendar year two years
immediately preceding the rate rebase period, so that adjusted cost
report data for calendar year 2007 is used for July 1, 2009, through
June 30, 2011, and so forth.
(b) Support services component rate allocations shall be adjusted
annually for economic trends and conditions by a factor or factors
defined in the biennial appropriations act.
(7)(a) Operations component rate allocations shall be established
using adjusted cost report data covering at least six months. Adjusted
cost report data from 1996 shall be used for October 1, 1998, through
June 30, 2001, operations component rate allocations; adjusted cost
report data from 1999 shall be used for July 1, 2001, through June 30,
2006, operations component rate allocations. Adjusted cost report data
from 2003 will be used for July 1, 2006, ((and later)) through June 30,
2007, operations component rate allocations. Adjusted cost report data
from 2005 will be used for July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009,
operations component rate allocations. Effective July 1, 2009, and
thereafter for each odd-numbered year beginning July 1st, the
operations component rate allocation shall be cost rebased biennially,
using the adjusted cost report data for the calendar year two years
immediately preceding the rate rebase period, so that adjusted cost
report data for calendar year 2007 is used for July 1, 2009, through
June 30, 2011, and so forth.
(b) Operations component rate allocations shall be adjusted
annually for economic trends and conditions by a factor or factors
defined in the biennial appropriations act. A different economic
trends and conditions adjustment factor or factors may be defined in
the biennial appropriations act for facilities whose operations
component rate is set equal to their adjusted June 30, 2006, rate, as
provided in RCW 74.46.521(4).
(8) For July 1, 1998, through September 30, 1998, a facility's
property and return on investment component rates shall be the
facility's June 30, 1998, property and return on investment component
rates, without increase. For October 1, 1998, through June 30, 1999,
a facility's property and return on investment component rates shall be
rebased utilizing 1997 adjusted cost report data covering at least six
months of data.
(9) Total payment rates under the nursing facility medicaid payment
system shall not exceed facility rates charged to the general public
for comparable services.
(10) Medicaid contractors shall pay to all facility staff a minimum
wage of the greater of the state minimum wage or the federal minimum
wage.
(11) The department shall establish in rule procedures, principles,
and conditions for determining component rate allocations for
facilities in circumstances not directly addressed by this chapter,
including but not limited to: The need to prorate inflation for
partial-period cost report data, newly constructed facilities, existing
facilities entering the medicaid program for the first time or after a
period of absence from the program, existing facilities with expanded
new bed capacity, existing medicaid facilities following a change of
ownership of the nursing facility business, facilities banking beds or
converting beds back into service, facilities temporarily reducing the
number of set-up beds during a remodel, facilities having less than six
months of either resident assessment, cost report data, or both, under
the current contractor prior to rate setting, and other circumstances.
(12) The department shall establish in rule procedures, principles,
and conditions, including necessary threshold costs, for adjusting
rates to reflect capital improvements or new requirements imposed by
the department or the federal government. Any such rate adjustments
are subject to the provisions of RCW 74.46.421.
(13) Effective July 1, 2001, medicaid rates shall continue to be
revised downward in all components, in accordance with department
rules, for facilities converting banked beds to active service under
chapter 70.38 RCW, by using the facility's increased licensed bed
capacity to recalculate minimum occupancy for rate setting. However,
for facilities other than essential community providers which bank beds
under chapter 70.38 RCW, after May 25, 2001, medicaid rates shall be
revised upward, in accordance with department rules, in direct care,
therapy care, support services, and variable return components only, by
using the facility's decreased licensed bed capacity to recalculate
minimum occupancy for rate setting, but no upward revision shall be
made to operations, property, or financing allowance component rates.
The direct care component rate allocation shall be adjusted, without
using the minimum occupancy assumption, for facilities that convert
banked beds to active service, under chapter 70.38 RCW, beginning on
July 1, 2006.
(14) Facilities obtaining a certificate of need or a certificate of
need exemption under chapter 70.38 RCW after June 30, 2001, must have
a certificate of capital authorization in order for (a) the
depreciation resulting from the capitalized addition to be included in
calculation of the facility's property component rate allocation; and
(b) the net invested funds associated with the capitalized addition to
be included in calculation of the facility's financing allowance rate
allocation.
Sec. 3 RCW 74.46.506 and 2006 c 258 s 6 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The direct care component rate allocation corresponds to the
provision of nursing care for one resident of a nursing facility for
one day, including direct care supplies. Therapy services and
supplies, which correspond to the therapy care component rate, shall be
excluded. The direct care component rate includes elements of case mix
determined consistent with the principles of this section and other
applicable provisions of this chapter.
(2) Beginning October 1, 1998, the department shall determine and
update quarterly for each nursing facility serving medicaid residents
a facility-specific per-resident day direct care component rate
allocation, to be effective on the first day of each calendar quarter.
In determining direct care component rates the department shall
utilize, as specified in this section, minimum data set resident
assessment data for each resident of the facility, as transmitted to,
and if necessary corrected by, the department in the resident
assessment instrument format approved by federal authorities for use in
this state.
(3) The department may question the accuracy of assessment data for
any resident and utilize corrected or substitute information, however
derived, in determining direct care component rates. The department is
authorized to impose civil fines and to take adverse rate actions
against a contractor, as specified by the department in rule, in order
to obtain compliance with resident assessment and data transmission
requirements and to ensure accuracy.
(4) Cost report data used in setting direct care component rate
allocations shall be ((1996, 1999, and 2003)) for rate periods as
specified in RCW 74.46.431(4)(a).
(5) Beginning October 1, 1998, the department shall rebase each
nursing facility's direct care component rate allocation as described
in RCW 74.46.431, adjust its direct care component rate allocation for
economic trends and conditions as described in RCW 74.46.431, and
update its medicaid average case mix index, consistent with the
following:
(a) Reduce total direct care costs reported by each nursing
facility for the applicable cost report period specified in RCW
74.46.431(4)(a) to reflect any department adjustments, and to eliminate
reported resident therapy costs and adjustments, in order to derive the
facility's total allowable direct care cost;
(b) Divide each facility's total allowable direct care cost by its
adjusted resident days for the same report period, increased if
necessary to a minimum occupancy of eighty-five percent; that is, the
greater of actual or imputed occupancy at eighty-five percent of
licensed beds, to derive the facility's allowable direct care cost per
resident day. However, effective July 1, 2006, each facility's
allowable direct care costs shall be divided by its adjusted resident
days without application of a minimum occupancy assumption;
(c) Adjust the facility's per resident day direct care cost by the
applicable factor specified in RCW 74.46.431(4) (((b), (c), and (d)))
to derive its adjusted allowable direct care cost per resident day;
(d) Divide each facility's adjusted allowable direct care cost per
resident day by the facility average case mix index for the applicable
quarters specified by RCW 74.46.501(7)(b) to derive the facility's
allowable direct care cost per case mix unit;
(e) Effective for July 1, 2001, rate setting, divide nursing
facilities into at least two and, if applicable, three peer groups:
Those located in nonurban counties; those located in high labor-cost
counties, if any; and those located in other urban counties;
(f) Array separately the allowable direct care cost per case mix
unit for all facilities in nonurban counties; for all facilities in
high labor-cost counties, if applicable; and for all facilities in
other urban counties, and determine the median allowable direct care
cost per case mix unit for each peer group;
(g) Except as provided in (i) of this subsection, from October 1,
1998, through June 30, 2000, determine each facility's quarterly direct
care component rate as follows:
(i) Any facility whose allowable cost per case mix unit is less
than eighty-five percent of the facility's peer group median
established under (f) of this subsection shall be assigned a cost per
case mix unit equal to eighty-five percent of the facility's peer group
median, and shall have a direct care component rate allocation equal to
the facility's assigned cost per case mix unit multiplied by that
facility's medicaid average case mix index from the applicable quarter
specified in RCW 74.46.501(7)(c);
(ii) Any facility whose allowable cost per case mix unit is greater
than one hundred fifteen percent of the peer group median established
under (f) of this subsection shall be assigned a cost per case mix unit
equal to one hundred fifteen percent of the peer group median, and
shall have a direct care component rate allocation equal to the
facility's assigned cost per case mix unit multiplied by that
facility's medicaid average case mix index from the applicable quarter
specified in RCW 74.46.501(7)(c);
(iii) Any facility whose allowable cost per case mix unit is
between eighty-five and one hundred fifteen percent of the peer group
median established under (f) of this subsection shall have a direct
care component rate allocation equal to the facility's allowable cost
per case mix unit multiplied by that facility's medicaid average case
mix index from the applicable quarter specified in RCW 74.46.501(7)(c);
(h) Except as provided in (i) of this subsection, from July 1,
2000, through June 30, 2006, determine each facility's quarterly direct
care component rate as follows:
(i) Any facility whose allowable cost per case mix unit is less
than ninety percent of the facility's peer group median established
under (f) of this subsection shall be assigned a cost per case mix unit
equal to ninety percent of the facility's peer group median, and shall
have a direct care component rate allocation equal to the facility's
assigned cost per case mix unit multiplied by that facility's medicaid
average case mix index from the applicable quarter specified in RCW
74.46.501(7)(c);
(ii) Any facility whose allowable cost per case mix unit is greater
than one hundred ten percent of the peer group median established under
(f) of this subsection shall be assigned a cost per case mix unit equal
to one hundred ten percent of the peer group median, and shall have a
direct care component rate allocation equal to the facility's assigned
cost per case mix unit multiplied by that facility's medicaid average
case mix index from the applicable quarter specified in RCW
74.46.501(7)(c);
(iii) Any facility whose allowable cost per case mix unit is
between ninety and one hundred ten percent of the peer group median
established under (f) of this subsection shall have a direct care
component rate allocation equal to the facility's allowable cost per
case mix unit multiplied by that facility's medicaid average case mix
index from the applicable quarter specified in RCW 74.46.501(7)(c);
(i)(i) Between October 1, 1998, and June 30, 2000, the department
shall compare each facility's direct care component rate allocation
calculated under (g) of this subsection with the facility's nursing
services component rate in effect on September 30, 1998, less therapy
costs, plus any exceptional care offsets as reported on the cost
report, adjusted for economic trends and conditions as provided in RCW
74.46.431. A facility shall receive the higher of the two rates.
(ii) Between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2002, the department shall
compare each facility's direct care component rate allocation
calculated under (h) of this subsection with the facility's direct care
component rate in effect on June 30, 2000. A facility shall receive
the higher of the two rates. Between July 1, 2001, and June 30, 2002,
if during any quarter a facility whose rate paid under (h) of this
subsection is greater than either the direct care rate in effect on
June 30, 2000, or than that facility's allowable direct care cost per
case mix unit calculated in (d) of this subsection multiplied by that
facility's medicaid average case mix index from the applicable quarter
specified in RCW 74.46.501(7)(c), the facility shall be paid in that
and each subsequent quarter pursuant to (h) of this subsection and
shall not be entitled to the greater of the two rates.
(iii) Between July 1, 2002, and June 30, 2006, all direct care
component rate allocations shall be as determined under (h) of this
subsection.
(iv) Effective July 1, 2006, for all providers, except vital local
providers as defined in this chapter, all direct care component rate
allocations shall be as determined under (j) of this subsection.
(v) Effective July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, for vital local
providers, as defined in this chapter, direct care component rate
allocations shall be determined as follows:
(A) The department shall calculate:
(I) The sum of each facility's July 1, 2006, direct care component
rate allocation calculated under (j) of this subsection and July 1,
2006, operations component rate calculated under RCW 74.46.521; and
(II) The sum of each facility's June 30, 2006, direct care and
operations component rates.
(B) If the sum calculated under (i)(v)(A)(I) of this subsection is
less than the sum calculated under (i)(v)(A)(II) of this subsection,
the facility shall have a direct care component rate allocation equal
to the facility's June 30, 2006, direct care component rate allocation.
(C) If the sum calculated under (i)(v)(A)(I) of this subsection is
greater than or equal to the sum calculated under (i)(v)(A)(II) of this
subsection, the facility's direct care component rate shall be
calculated under (j) of this subsection;
(j) Except as provided in (i) of this subsection, from July 1,
2006, forward, and for all future rate setting, determine each
facility's quarterly direct care component rate as follows:
(i) Any facility whose allowable cost per case mix unit is greater
than one hundred twelve percent of the peer group median established
under (f) of this subsection shall be assigned a cost per case mix unit
equal to one hundred twelve percent of the peer group median, and shall
have a direct care component rate allocation equal to the facility's
assigned cost per case mix unit multiplied by that facility's medicaid
average case mix index from the applicable quarter specified in RCW
74.46.501(7)(c);
(ii) Any facility whose allowable cost per case mix unit is less
than or equal to one hundred twelve percent of the peer group median
established under (f) of this subsection shall have a direct care
component rate allocation equal to the facility's allowable cost per
case mix unit multiplied by that facility's medicaid average case mix
index from the applicable quarter specified in RCW 74.46.501(7)(c).
(6) The direct care component rate allocations calculated in
accordance with this section shall be adjusted to the extent necessary
to comply with RCW 74.46.421.
(7) Costs related to payments resulting from increases in direct
care component rates, granted under authority of RCW 74.46.508(1) for
a facility's exceptional care residents, shall be offset against the
facility's examined, allowable direct care costs, for each report year
or partial period such increases are paid. Such reductions in
allowable direct care costs shall be for rate setting, settlement, and
other purposes deemed appropriate by the department.
Sec. 4 RCW 74.46.511 and 2001 1st sp.s. c 8 s 11 are each amended
to read as follows:
(1) The therapy care component rate allocation corresponds to the
provision of medicaid one-on-one therapy provided by a qualified
therapist as defined in this chapter, including therapy supplies and
therapy consultation, for one day for one medicaid resident of a
nursing facility. The therapy care component rate allocation for
October 1, 1998, through June 30, 2001, shall be based on adjusted
therapy costs and days from calendar year 1996. The therapy component
rate allocation for July 1, 2001, through June 30, ((2004)) 2007, shall
be based on adjusted therapy costs and days from calendar year 1999.
Effective July 1, 2007, the therapy care component rate allocation
shall be based on adjusted therapy costs and days as described in RCW
74.46.431(5). The therapy care component rate shall be adjusted for
economic trends and conditions as specified in RCW 74.46.431(5)(((b))),
and shall be determined in accordance with this section.
(2) In rebasing, as provided in RCW 74.46.431(5)(a), the department
shall take from the cost reports of facilities the following reported
information:
(a) Direct one-on-one therapy charges for all residents by payer
including charges for supplies;
(b) The total units or modules of therapy care for all residents by
type of therapy provided, for example, speech or physical. A unit or
module of therapy care is considered to be fifteen minutes of one-on-one therapy provided by a qualified therapist or support personnel; and
(c) Therapy consulting expenses for all residents.
(3) The department shall determine for all residents the total cost
per unit of therapy for each type of therapy by dividing the total
adjusted one-on-one therapy expense for each type by the total units
provided for that therapy type.
(4) The department shall divide medicaid nursing facilities in this
state into two peer groups:
(a) Those facilities located within urban counties; and
(b) Those located within nonurban counties.
The department shall array the facilities in each peer group from
highest to lowest based on their total cost per unit of therapy for
each therapy type. The department shall determine the median total
cost per unit of therapy for each therapy type and add ten percent of
median total cost per unit of therapy. The cost per unit of therapy
for each therapy type at a nursing facility shall be the lesser of its
cost per unit of therapy for each therapy type or the median total cost
per unit plus ten percent for each therapy type for its peer group.
(5) The department shall calculate each nursing facility's therapy
care component rate allocation as follows:
(a) To determine the allowable total therapy cost for each therapy
type, the allowable cost per unit of therapy for each type of therapy
shall be multiplied by the total therapy units for each type of
therapy;
(b) The medicaid allowable one-on-one therapy expense shall be
calculated taking the allowable total therapy cost for each therapy
type times the medicaid percent of total therapy charges for each
therapy type;
(c) The medicaid allowable one-on-one therapy expense for each
therapy type shall be divided by total adjusted medicaid days to arrive
at the medicaid one-on-one therapy cost per patient day for each
therapy type;
(d) The medicaid one-on-one therapy cost per patient day for each
therapy type shall be multiplied by total adjusted patient days for all
residents to calculate the total allowable one-on-one therapy expense.
The lesser of the total allowable therapy consultant expense for the
therapy type or a reasonable percentage of allowable therapy consultant
expense for each therapy type, as established in rule by the
department, shall be added to the total allowable one-on-one therapy
expense to determine the allowable therapy cost for each therapy type;
(e) The allowable therapy cost for each therapy type shall be added
together, the sum of which shall be the total allowable therapy expense
for the nursing facility;
(f) The total allowable therapy expense will be divided by the
greater of adjusted total patient days from the cost report on which
the therapy expenses were reported, or patient days at eighty-five
percent occupancy of licensed beds. The outcome shall be the nursing
facility's therapy care component rate allocation.
(6) The therapy care component rate allocations calculated in
accordance with this section shall be adjusted to the extent necessary
to comply with RCW 74.46.421.
(7) The therapy care component rate shall be suspended for medicaid
residents in qualified nursing facilities designated by the department
who are receiving therapy paid by the department outside the facility
daily rate under RCW 74.46.508(2).
Sec. 5 RCW 74.46.521 and 2006 c 258 s 7 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The operations component rate allocation corresponds to the
general operation of a nursing facility for one resident for one day,
including but not limited to management, administration, utilities,
office supplies, accounting and bookkeeping, minor building
maintenance, minor equipment repairs and replacements, and other
supplies and services, exclusive of direct care, therapy care, support
services, property, financing allowance, and variable return.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, beginning
October 1, 1998, the department shall determine each medicaid nursing
facility's operations component rate allocation using cost report data
specified by RCW 74.46.431(7)(a). Effective July 1, 2002, operations
component rates for all facilities except essential community providers
shall be based upon a minimum occupancy of ninety percent of licensed
beds, and no operations component rate shall be revised in response to
beds banked on or after May 25, 2001, under chapter 70.38 RCW.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, to
determine each facility's operations component rate the department
shall:
(a) Array facilities' adjusted general operations costs per
adjusted resident day, as determined by dividing each facility's total
allowable operations cost by its adjusted resident days for the same
report period, increased if necessary to a minimum occupancy of ninety
percent; that is, the greater of actual or imputed occupancy at ninety
percent of licensed beds, for each facility from facilities' cost
reports from the applicable report year, for facilities located within
urban counties and for those located within nonurban counties and
determine the median adjusted cost for each peer group;
(b) Set each facility's operations component rate at the lower of:
(i) The facility's per resident day adjusted operations costs from
the applicable cost report period adjusted if necessary to a minimum
occupancy of eighty-five percent of licensed beds before July 1, 2002,
and ninety percent effective July 1, 2002; or
(ii) The adjusted median per resident day general operations cost
for that facility's peer group, urban counties or nonurban counties;
and
(c) Adjust each facility's operations component rate for economic
trends and conditions as provided in RCW 74.46.431(7)(b).
(4)(a) Effective July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, for any
facility whose direct care component rate allocation is set equal to
its June 30, 2006, direct care component rate allocation, as provided
in RCW 74.46.506(5)(((i))), the facility's operations component rate
allocation shall also be set equal to the facility's June 30, 2006,
operations component rate allocation.
(b) The operations component rate allocation for facilities whose
operations component rate is set equal to their June 30, 2006,
operations component rate, shall be adjusted for economic trends and
conditions as provided in RCW 74.46.431(7)(b).
(5) The operations component rate allocations calculated in
accordance with this section shall be adjusted to the extent necessary
to comply with RCW 74.46.421.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 74.46 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) For the purposes of comparison, the department shall determine
the following during the rate-setting periods for fiscal years 2008 and
2009:
(a) Each facility's June 30, 2007, combined rate for the direct
care, support services, therapy, and operations components, less the
quality maintenance fee; and
(b) Each facility's estimated rebased rates for the July 1, 2007,
and July 1, 2008, rate-setting periods, for the direct care, support
services, therapy, and operations rate components, less the quality
maintenance fee, adjusted for economic trends and conditions under the
2007-2009 biennial appropriations act.
(2) For the 2007-2009 fiscal biennium, the department shall include
a "hold harmless" provision after rebasing to 2005 costs for the July
1, 2007, through June 30, 2008, rate-setting period and the July 1,
2008, through June 30, 2009, rate-setting period. This "hold harmless"
provision shall apply to facilities that meet both of the following
conditions:
(a) Facilities whose estimated rebased rates calculated under
subsection (1)(b) of this section are less than their June 30, 2007,
rates calculated under subsection (1)(a) of this section; and
(b) Facilities whose combined adjusted costs per adjusted resident
day in the direct care, support services, therapy, and operations cost
centers were greater than the combined per resident day reimbursement
rates for these cost centers in either calendar years 2004 or 2005.
For those facilities that meet the conditions in this subsection,
the "hold harmless" provision shall ensure that for the July 1, 2007,
through June 30, 2008, rate-setting period and for the July 1, 2008,
through June 30, 2009, rate-setting period, the department shall set
each facility's component rates in direct care, support services,
therapy, and operations to the facility's June 30, 2007, rate, less the
quality maintenance fee, adjusted for economic trends and conditions
specified in the 2007-2009 biennial appropriations act.
Sec. 7 RCW 74.46.020 and 2006 c 258 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in
this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Accrual method of accounting" means a method of accounting in
which revenues are reported in the period when they are earned,
regardless of when they are collected, and expenses are reported in the
period in which they are incurred, regardless of when they are paid.
(2) "Appraisal" means the process of estimating the fair market
value or reconstructing the historical cost of an asset acquired in a
past period as performed by a professionally designated real estate
appraiser with no pecuniary interest in the property to be appraised.
It includes a systematic, analytic determination and the recording and
analyzing of property facts, rights, investments, and values based on
a personal inspection and inventory of the property.
(3) "Arm's-length transaction" means a transaction resulting from
good-faith bargaining between a buyer and seller who are not related
organizations and have adverse positions in the market place. Sales or
exchanges of nursing home facilities among two or more parties in which
all parties subsequently continue to own one or more of the facilities
involved in the transactions shall not be considered as arm's-length
transactions for purposes of this chapter. Sale of a nursing home
facility which is subsequently leased back to the seller within five
years of the date of sale shall not be considered as an arm's-length
transaction for purposes of this chapter.
(4) "Assets" means economic resources of the contractor, recognized
and measured in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.
(5) "Audit" or "department audit" means an examination of the
records of a nursing facility participating in the medicaid payment
system, including but not limited to: The contractor's financial and
statistical records, cost reports and all supporting documentation and
schedules, receivables, and resident trust funds, to be performed as
deemed necessary by the department and according to department rule.
(6) "Bad debts" means amounts considered to be uncollectible from
accounts and notes receivable.
(7) "Beneficial owner" means:
(a) Any person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract,
arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise has or shares:
(i) Voting power which includes the power to vote, or to direct the
voting of such ownership interest; and/or
(ii) Investment power which includes the power to dispose, or to
direct the disposition of such ownership interest;
(b) Any person who, directly or indirectly, creates or uses a
trust, proxy, power of attorney, pooling arrangement, or any other
contract, arrangement, or device with the purpose or effect of
divesting himself or herself of beneficial ownership of an ownership
interest or preventing the vesting of such beneficial ownership as part
of a plan or scheme to evade the reporting requirements of this
chapter;
(c) Any person who, subject to (b) of this subsection, has the
right to acquire beneficial ownership of such ownership interest within
sixty days, including but not limited to any right to acquire:
(i) Through the exercise of any option, warrant, or right;
(ii) Through the conversion of an ownership interest;
(iii) Pursuant to the power to revoke a trust, discretionary
account, or similar arrangement; or
(iv) Pursuant to the automatic termination of a trust,
discretionary account, or similar arrangement;
except that, any person who acquires an ownership interest or power
specified in (c)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this subsection with the purpose
or effect of changing or influencing the control of the contractor, or
in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such
purpose or effect, immediately upon such acquisition shall be deemed to
be the beneficial owner of the ownership interest which may be acquired
through the exercise or conversion of such ownership interest or power;
(d) Any person who in the ordinary course of business is a pledgee
of ownership interest under a written pledge agreement shall not be
deemed to be the beneficial owner of such pledged ownership interest
until the pledgee has taken all formal steps necessary which are
required to declare a default and determines that the power to vote or
to direct the vote or to dispose or to direct the disposition of such
pledged ownership interest will be exercised; except that:
(i) The pledgee agreement is bona fide and was not entered into
with the purpose nor with the effect of changing or influencing the
control of the contractor, nor in connection with any transaction
having such purpose or effect, including persons meeting the conditions
set forth in (b) of this subsection; and
(ii) The pledgee agreement, prior to default, does not grant to the
pledgee:
(A) The power to vote or to direct the vote of the pledged
ownership interest; or
(B) The power to dispose or direct the disposition of the pledged
ownership interest, other than the grant of such power(s) pursuant to
a pledge agreement under which credit is extended and in which the
pledgee is a broker or dealer.
(8) "Capitalization" means the recording of an expenditure as an
asset.
(9) "Case mix" means a measure of the intensity of care and
services needed by the residents of a nursing facility or a group of
residents in the facility.
(10) "Case mix index" means a number representing the average case
mix of a nursing facility.
(11) "Case mix weight" means a numeric score that identifies the
relative resources used by a particular group of a nursing facility's
residents.
(12) "Certificate of capital authorization" means a certification
from the department for an allocation from the biennial capital
financing authorization for all new or replacement building
construction, or for major renovation projects, receiving a certificate
of need or a certificate of need exemption under chapter 70.38 RCW
after July 1, 2001.
(13) "Contractor" means a person or entity licensed under chapter
18.51 RCW to operate a medicare and medicaid certified nursing
facility, responsible for operational decisions, and contracting with
the department to provide services to medicaid recipients residing in
the facility.
(14) "Default case" means no initial assessment has been completed
for a resident and transmitted to the department by the cut-off date,
or an assessment is otherwise past due for the resident, under state
and federal requirements.
(15) "Department" means the department of social and health
services (DSHS) and its employees.
(16) "Depreciation" means the systematic distribution of the cost
or other basis of tangible assets, less salvage, over the estimated
useful life of the assets.
(17) "Direct care" means nursing care and related care provided to
nursing facility residents. Therapy care shall not be considered part
of direct care.
(18) "Direct care supplies" means medical, pharmaceutical, and
other supplies required for the direct care of a nursing facility's
residents.
(19) "Entity" means an individual, partnership, corporation,
limited liability company, or any other association of individuals
capable of entering enforceable contracts.
(20) "Equity" means the net book value of all tangible and
intangible assets less the recorded value of all liabilities, as
recognized and measured in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
(21) "Essential community provider" means a facility which is the
only nursing facility within a commuting distance radius of at least
forty minutes duration, traveling by automobile.
(22) "Facility" or "nursing facility" means a nursing home licensed
in accordance with chapter 18.51 RCW, excepting nursing homes certified
as institutions for mental diseases, or that portion of a multiservice
facility licensed as a nursing home, or that portion of a hospital
licensed in accordance with chapter 70.41 RCW which operates as a
nursing home.
(23) "Fair market value" means the replacement cost of an asset
less observed physical depreciation on the date for which the market
value is being determined.
(24) "Financial statements" means statements prepared and presented
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles including,
but not limited to, balance sheet, statement of operations, statement
of changes in financial position, and related notes.
(25) "Generally accepted accounting principles" means accounting
principles approved by the financial accounting standards board (FASB).
(26) "Goodwill" means the excess of the price paid for a nursing
facility business over the fair market value of all net identifiable
tangible and intangible assets acquired, as measured in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles.
(27) "Grouper" means a computer software product that groups
individual nursing facility residents into case mix classification
groups based on specific resident assessment data and computer logic.
(28) "High labor-cost county" means an urban county in which the
median allowable facility cost per case mix unit is more than ten
percent higher than the median allowable facility cost per case mix
unit among all other urban counties, excluding that county.
(29) "Historical cost" means the actual cost incurred in acquiring
and preparing an asset for use, including feasibility studies,
architect's fees, and engineering studies.
(30) "Home and central office costs" means costs that are incurred
in the support and operation of a home and central office. Home and
central office costs include centralized services that are performed in
support of a nursing facility. The department may exclude from this
definition costs that are nonduplicative, documented, ordinary,
necessary, and related to the provision of care services to authorized
patients.
(31) "Imprest fund" means a fund which is regularly replenished in
exactly the amount expended from it.
(32) "Joint facility costs" means any costs which represent
resources which benefit more than one facility, or one facility and any
other entity.
(33) "Lease agreement" means a contract between two parties for the
possession and use of real or personal property or assets for a
specified period of time in exchange for specified periodic payments.
Elimination (due to any cause other than death or divorce) or addition
of any party to the contract, expiration, or modification of any lease
term in effect on January 1, 1980, or termination of the lease by
either party by any means shall constitute a termination of the lease
agreement. An extension or renewal of a lease agreement, whether or
not pursuant to a renewal provision in the lease agreement, shall be
considered a new lease agreement. A strictly formal change in the
lease agreement which modifies the method, frequency, or manner in
which the lease payments are made, but does not increase the total
lease payment obligation of the lessee, shall not be considered
modification of a lease term.
(34) "Medical care program" or "medicaid program" means medical
assistance, including nursing care, provided under RCW 74.09.500 or
authorized state medical care services.
(35) "Medical care recipient," "medicaid recipient," or "recipient"
means an individual determined eligible by the department for the
services provided under chapter 74.09 RCW.
(36) "Minimum data set" means the overall data component of the
resident assessment instrument, indicating the strengths, needs, and
preferences of an individual nursing facility resident.
(37) "Net book value" means the historical cost of an asset less
accumulated depreciation.
(38) "Net invested funds" means the net book value of tangible
fixed assets employed by a contractor to provide services under the
medical care program, including land, buildings, and equipment as
recognized and measured in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
(39) "Nonurban county" means a county which is not located in a
metropolitan statistical area as determined and defined by the United
States office of management and budget or other appropriate agency or
office of the federal government.
(40) "Operating lease" means a lease under which rental or lease
expenses are included in current expenses in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles.
(41) "Owner" means a sole proprietor, general or limited partners,
members of a limited liability company, and beneficial interest holders
of five percent or more of a corporation's outstanding stock.
(42) "Ownership interest" means all interests beneficially owned by
a person, calculated in the aggregate, regardless of the form which
such beneficial ownership takes.
(43) "Patient day" or "resident day" means a calendar day of care
provided to a nursing facility resident, regardless of payment source,
which will include the day of admission and exclude the day of
discharge; except that, when admission and discharge occur on the same
day, one day of care shall be deemed to exist. A "medicaid day" or
"recipient day" means a calendar day of care provided to a medicaid
recipient determined eligible by the department for services provided
under chapter 74.09 RCW, subject to the same conditions regarding
admission and discharge applicable to a patient day or resident day of
care.
(44) "Professionally designated real estate appraiser" means an
individual who is regularly engaged in the business of providing real
estate valuation services for a fee, and who is deemed qualified by a
nationally recognized real estate appraisal educational organization on
the basis of extensive practical appraisal experience, including the
writing of real estate valuation reports as well as the passing of
written examinations on valuation practice and theory, and who by
virtue of membership in such organization is required to subscribe and
adhere to certain standards of professional practice as such
organization prescribes.
(45) "Qualified therapist" means:
(a) A mental health professional as defined by chapter 71.05 RCW;
(b) A mental retardation professional who is a therapist approved
by the department who has had specialized training or one year's
experience in treating or working with the mentally retarded or
developmentally disabled;
(c) A speech pathologist who is eligible for a certificate of
clinical competence in speech pathology or who has the equivalent
education and clinical experience;
(d) A physical therapist as defined by chapter 18.74 RCW;
(e) An occupational therapist who is a graduate of a program in
occupational therapy, or who has the equivalent of such education or
training; and
(f) A respiratory care practitioner certified under chapter 18.89
RCW.
(46) "Rate" or "rate allocation" means the medicaid per-patient-day
payment amount for medicaid patients calculated in accordance with the
allocation methodology set forth in part E of this chapter.
(47) "Real property," whether leased or owned by the contractor,
means the building, allowable land, land improvements, and building
improvements associated with a nursing facility.
(48) "Rebased rate" or "cost-rebased rate" means a facility-specific component rate assigned to a nursing facility for a particular
rate period established on desk-reviewed, adjusted costs reported for
that facility covering at least six months of a prior calendar year
designated as a year to be used for cost-rebasing payment rate
allocations under the provisions of this chapter.
(49) "Records" means those data supporting all financial statements
and cost reports including, but not limited to, all general and
subsidiary ledgers, books of original entry, and transaction
documentation, however such data are maintained.
(50) "Related organization" means an entity which is under common
ownership and/or control with, or has control of, or is controlled by,
the contractor.
(a) "Common ownership" exists when an entity is the beneficial
owner of five percent or more ownership interest in the contractor and
any other entity.
(b) "Control" exists where an entity has the power, directly or
indirectly, significantly to influence or direct the actions or
policies of an organization or institution, whether or not it is
legally enforceable and however it is exercisable or exercised.
(51) "Related care" means only those services that are directly
related to providing direct care to nursing facility residents. These
services include, but are not limited to, nursing direction and
supervision, medical direction, medical records, pharmacy services,
activities, and social services.
(52) "Resident assessment instrument," including federally approved
modifications for use in this state, means a federally mandated,
comprehensive nursing facility resident care planning and assessment
tool, consisting of the minimum data set and resident assessment
protocols.
(53) "Resident assessment protocols" means those components of the
resident assessment instrument that use the minimum data set to trigger
or flag a resident's potential problems and risk areas.
(54) "Resource utilization groups" means a case mix classification
system that identifies relative resources needed to care for an
individual nursing facility resident.
(55) "Restricted fund" means those funds the principal and/or
income of which is limited by agreement with or direction of the donor
to a specific purpose.
(56) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of social
and health services.
(57) "Support services" means food, food preparation, dietary,
housekeeping, and laundry services provided to nursing facility
residents.
(58) "Therapy care" means those services required by a nursing
facility resident's comprehensive assessment and plan of care, that are
provided by qualified therapists, or support personnel under their
supervision, including related costs as designated by the department.
(59) "Title XIX" or "medicaid" means the 1965 amendments to the
social security act, P.L. 89-07, as amended and the medicaid program
administered by the department.
(60) "Urban county" means a county which is located in a
metropolitan statistical area as determined and defined by the United
States office of management and budget or other appropriate agency or
office of the federal government.
(61) "Vital local provider" means a facility ((reporting a home
office)) that meets the following qualifications:
(a) ((The)) It reports a home office with an address ((is)) located
in Washington state; and
(b) The sum of medicaid days for all Washington facilities
reporting ((the)) that home office as their home office was greater
than two hundred fifteen thousand in 2003; and
(c) The facility was recognized as a "vital local provider" by the
department as of April 1, 2007.
The definition of "vital local provider" shall expire, and have no
force or effect, after June 30, 2007. After that date, no facility's
payments under this chapter shall in any way be affected by its prior
determination or recognition as a vital local provider.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 This act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the
state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect
July 1, 2007."
SSB 6158 -
By Senators Keiser, Parlette
ADOPTED 04/20/2007
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "rates;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 74.46.410, 74.46.431, 74.46.506, 74.46.511, 74.46.521, and 74.46.020; adding a new section to chapter 74.46 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency."
EFFECT: (1) Removes the specific hold harmless provision only
applying to "vital local providers," but keeps the general hold
harmless provision applying to providers that meet certain criteria
(which could also include vital local providers).
(2) Requires any adjustment for economic trends and conditions
(vendor rate increase) in the budget to also apply to these hold
harmless rates.
(3) Makes current "vital local provider" language in statute expire
at the end of this biennium.
(4) Makes technical corrections to the underlying draft.