HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2395
As Amended by the Senate
BYRepresentatives Anderson, Brooks, Braddock, Moyer, Locke, Prentice, Jacobsen, Scott and Wineberry
Regarding reimbursement of nursing homes authorized to meet the needs of people with AIDS.
House Committe on Health Care
Majority Report: Do pass. (10)
Signed by Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Brooks, Ranking Republican Member; Cantwell, Chandler, Morris, Prentice, Sprenkle, Vekich and Wolfe.
House Staff:Antonio Sanchez (786-7383)
Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations
Majority Report: Do pass. (27)
Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Hine, Holland, Inslee, May, McLean, Nealey, Padden, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.
House Staff: Michelle Hauth (786-7384)
AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 12, 1990
BACKGROUND:
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a condition in which the human immunodeficiency virus damages the cellular branch of the human immune or neurological systems and leaves the infected person unable to naturally ward off disease, or could additionally result in brain damage. The advanced AIDS condition may require that the patient receive 24 hour nursing care. This type and level of specialized care is not currently being offered in a nursing home environment. The high intensity level of medical and social support needed by the AIDS patient, coupled with the infectious nature of this disease, require that a carefully planned and supportive care environment be provided for these non- traditional nursing home residents. In order to support the AIDS resident in a nursing home environment, the number of nursing staff available in the nursing home should reflect the unique conditions of the highly dependent and medically fragile AIDS resident.
Currently, the nursing home Medicaid reimbursement system limits the level of nursing staff based on a formula established by the Department of Social and Health Services. The formula is specific to each nursing home and takes into consideration patient characteristics and previously used staffing levels.
Nursing staff refers to registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants.
Only one specialized AIDS nursing home pilot facility in our state has been granted a certificate of need. Certificate of need is a review process conducted by the Department of Health to review the need for and approve the construction and modernization of nursing home facilities.
SUMMARY:
The limit of nursing staff in nursing homes is eliminated for any facility especially designed to meet the needs of persons living with AIDS.
EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENTS: The amendment deletes the reference to removal of the nursing services cost center reimbursement lid for any pilot facility especially designed to meet the needs of persons living with AIDS, and makes the exception to the reimbursement system specific to only a particular pilot facility especially designed to meet the need of persons with AIDS.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.
House Committee ‑ Testified For: (Health Care) Representative Cal Anderson; Betsy Lieberman, AIDS Housing of Washington; Chuck Hawley, Sisters of Providence; Mary Lynn Short, Washington State Nurses Association; Becky Martelli, Department of Health; and Charles Reed, Department of Social & Health Services.
(Appropriations) Sharon Case for Betsy Lieberman, Aids Housing of Washington; and Charles Reed, Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services.
House Committee - Testified Against: (Health Care) No one.
(Appropriations) No one.
House Committee - Testimony For: (Health Care) The patient care provided in nursing homes designated for persons with AIDS will be acceptable and appropriate only if a sufficient level of nurse staffing is established and maintained. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to remove any requirements that limit the level of nurse staffing in specialist nursing homes for residents with AIDS.
(Appropriations) Washington is now ranked 11th in the nation in AIDS cases. The daily cost of care provided in the pilot project would be one third less than the cost of hospitalization. This legislation would allow reimbursement for nursing services for long term care of the growing number of AIDS patients.
House Committee - Testimony Against: (Health Care) None.
(Appropriations) None.
VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:
Yeas 89; Absent 6; Excused 3
Absent: Representatives Brekke, Gallagher, Haugen, Locke, Sayan, Sommers H
Excused: Representatives Prince, Rector, Vekich