S-1784.1
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5504
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
BySenate Health & Long-Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Chapman, Harris, Cortes, Saldaña, Trudeau, and Valdez)
READ FIRST TIME 02/21/25.
AN ACT Relating to supporting caregivers who provide complex care services to children with heightened medical needs; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. (1) By December 1, 2025, the health care authority shall seek consultation from the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services for an approval of a state plan amendment to provide payment to a home health agency for complex care services as a component of the private duty nursing benefit when provided to an enrollee under 18 years old receiving private duty nursing in a medical assistance program under chapter 74.09 RCW when:
(a) The caregiver providing the complex care services is a parent, guardian, family member, or other close association that is the equivalent of a family relation of the enrollee;
(b) The caregiver has successfully completed at least 75 total hours of instruction offered by a home health agency that is accredited by an organization recognized by the health care authority and has been determined to be competent to provide complex care services;
(c) The caregiver is educated and trained by a registered nurse licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW to provide complex care services to the patient; and
(d) The caregiver providing the complex care services is employed by a home health agency licensed under chapter 70.126 RCW with a provider agreement with the health care authority or a managed care organization.
(2) By January 1, 2026, the health care authority shall submit a status report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature detailing the feasibility of an approval for a state plan amendment as outlined in subsection (1) of this section.
(3) This section expires December 31, 2026.
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