S-3892               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6349

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Newhouse, Rasmussen, Smith, Bender and Patrick

Read first time 1/12/90 and referred to Committee on  Health & Long Term Care.

AN ACT Relating to long-term care services; and amending section 207, chapter 19, Laws of 1989 1st ex. sess. (uncodified).

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 207, chapter 19, Laws of 1989 1st ex. sess. (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

          !tp1FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES‑-LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES

@i2General Fund Appropriation‑-State!w×!tr$!sc ,16

!ae0!tr445,753,000

@i2General Fund Appropriation‑-Federal!w×!tr$!sc ,16

!ae0!tr499,185,000

General Fund Appropriation‑-Local!w×!tr$!sc ,16

!ae0!tr296,000

!sc ,10Total Appropriation!w×!tr$!sc ,16

!ae0!tr945,234,000

          The appropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations:

          (1) Nursing home rates shall be adjusted for inflation under RCW 74.46.495 by 4.7 percent on July 1, 1989, and 4.7 percent on July 1, 1990.

          (2) $3,200,000 of the general fund‑-state appropriation is provided solely to enhance respite care services.

          (3) The department shall provide personal care services for Title XIX categorically eligible persons, effective July 1, 1989.  Personal care services shall be provided to eligible persons with one or more personal care needs who meet program eligibility standards established by rule pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW.

          (4) $2,100,000 of the general fund‑-state appropriation and $700,000 of the general fund‑-federal appropriation are provided solely to increase medical benefits for contracted chore service workers, contracted personal care workers, and contracted COPES workers.

          (5) The department shall request an amendment to its community options program entry system waiver under section 1905(c) of the federal social security act to include respite services as a service available under the waiver.

          (6) At least $16,050,420 of the general fund‑-state appropriation shall initially be allotted for implementation of the senior citizens services act.  However, at least $1,265,000 of this amount shall be used solely for programs that use volunteer workers for the provision of chore services to persons whose need for chore services is not being met by the chore services program.

          (7) $2,179,000 of the general fund‑-state appropriation and $2,464,000 of the general fund‑-federal appropriation are provided solely for expansion of the community options entry program.

          (8) $700,000 of the general fund‑-state appropriation is provided for new and expanded volunteer chore services.

          (9) $4,270,000 of the general fund‑-state appropriation and $813,000 of the general fund‑-federal appropriation are provided solely for vendor rate increases for vendors providing services to long-term care services, as specified in section 202 of this act.

          (10) $500,000 of the general fund‑-state appropriation is provided solely to enhance quality assurance for adult family homes through enhanced survey, licensing, and contracted consultation activities.  If House Bill No. 1968 is not enacted by June 30, 1989, the amount provided in this subsection shall lapse.

          (11) In addition to the adjustments for inflation set forth in subsection (1) of this section, $1,410,000 of the general fund‑-state appropriation and $1,590,000 of the general fund‑-federal appropriation are provided solely for a special prospective inflation adjustment for the nursing services cost center.  The special adjustment shall go into effect July 1, 1989, and shall be set at a level to ensure that the amount provided in this subsection is sufficient to fund the special adjustment through June 30, 1991.  The special adjustment shall be used only to fund wages and benefits and shall not be used to fund nursing pool expenses.  The legislature finds that medicaid reimbursement rates, in every cost center and rate period, are and have been adequate, without enhancements, to meet costs that must be incurred by economically operated nursing care in compliance with all state or federal health and safety standards.

          (12) $3,686,000, of which $1,596,000 is from the general fund‑-state appropriation, is provided solely for the maximum needs allowance for at-home spouses of nursing home residents as provided in chapter 87, Laws of 1989.  The maximum needs allowance is set at $((1,000)) 1,500 per month per at-home spouse.