ANALYSIS OF HOUSE BILL 1795

Requiring nursing home administrators to take examinations on state and federal laws.

Health Care Committee                         February 24, 1999

Washington State House of Representatives

SPONSORS:  Representatives Conway and Mitchell.

BACKGROUND:  Licensed nursing home administrators are responsible for the safe and efficient management of nursing homes.  Licensed nursing home administrators are required by law to have a baccalaureate degree, successfully complete a practical examination developed by the State Nursing Home Licensing Board within the Department of Health, and successfully complete an examination designed to test the prospective candidate=s competence to administer a nursing home.  Prospective  candidate=s are also required to pass a national board examination on federal laws and regulations.

Nursing homes in Washington state have some regulations that go beyond and are more precise than federal requirements.  These include, Medicaid non-discrimination, prohibition against asking residents to waive their residents= rights, refund of unspent deposits or pre-payments, an interim sanction process, and a process for the revocation of a license.  Other differences between federal and state laws can be found in the areas of licensing and inspection of nursing homes.  While the current exam  on federal law focuses on the federal regulations, it does not encompass the differences in law and regulations specific to Washington state laws.  The State Nursing Home Licensing Board eliminated the state examination in 1997.

SUMMARY:  Expands the requirements for obtaining a nursing home administrators license.  In addition to the federal nursing home laws, prospective nursing home administrators are required to be tested on the Washington state laws that do not duplicate federal laws and regulations.