S-1353.1
SENATE BILL 5828
State of Washington | 66th Legislature | 2019 Regular Session |
BySenators Cleveland, Rivers, Kuderer, and Nguyen
Read first time 02/05/19.Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
AN ACT Relating to the medicaid home health reimbursement rate for medical assistance clients; adding a new section to chapter
74.09 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter
74.09 RCW to read as follows:
Beginning January 1, 2020, the home health reimbursement rate for medical assistance clients must be at a rate not less than one hundred percent of the medicare home health payment, and must provide reimbursement for a social worker and telemedicine ordered by a physician or authorized health care provider.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The health care authority shall facilitate a stakeholder work group consisting of home health provider associations, hospital associations, managed care organizations, the department of social and health services, and the department of health to work in a collaborative effort to redesign the medicaid payment methodology for home health services. The health care authority must submit a report with the final work group recommendations to the appropriate legislative committees by November 30, 2019. A proposed timeline for implementation of the new methodology must be included in the report. The new methodology must consider reimbursement for: Telemedicine; social work for clients with qualifying behavioral health needs; and a rural add-on for clients in rural or underserved areas of the state. The work group must consider quality metrics for home health providers serving medical assistance clients which would include reducing hospital readmissions. The work group must address the role home health plays in caring for individuals with complex, physical, and behavioral health needs who are able to receive care in their own home, but are unable to discharge from hospital settings due to lack of access to community resources; and how home health can partner with other community resources such as social workers, community health care workers, telemedicine providers, and telepsychiatry providers to serve these individuals in the most cost-effective setting that also meets the individual's needs and preferences.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. 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 immediately.
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