HB 2517 - DIGEST

Directs the department to identify factors to be considered in selecting the appropriate remedy to apply to a nursing home that has not complied with the licensing requirements under chapter 18.51 RCW or chapter 74.42 RCW. In identifying the factors to be used in selecting an appropriate remedy, the department shall use a scope and severity method and assign the cited deficiencies to the appropriate category based on the scope and severity of a deficiency.

Provides that, based on the determination of the scope and severity of the deficiency citation, the department shall apply penalties to the nursing home, as specified in RCW 18.51.060. The remedies applied by the department shall not exceed the federal requirements for selecting remedies under 1919(h) and 1819(h) of the federal social security act and 42 C.F.R. 488.408, as existing on January 1, 2004, except that the department may use stop placement of new admissions as a remedy.

Declares that nursing homes may implement a paid feeding assistant program to the full degree permitted by federal regulation, 42 C.F.R. 483, as it exists on the effective date of this act, and the department shall approve training requirements for feeding assistants consistent with what is required under federal regulation.

Provides that feeding assistants shall work under the supervision of licensed nurses, with their competency to be determined by those nurses without testing.