E2SSB 6515 – This bill was signed into law this week.  The version that passed both the House and the Senate, signed into law by the Governor yesterday, was a stripped down version.  The original bill included an inflation factor, annual rebasing, extending the 24/7 RN exception process and aligning nursing home inspections with the federal regulations.  The version that was signed into law this week removed all funding language and left only extending the 24/7 RN exception process and aligning nursing home inspections with the federal regulations.  All payment related adjustments are in the Supplemental Operating budget, meaning the inflation and annual rebasing provisions have a legal life of one year.

2019-2021 Supplemental Operating Budget was signed by the Governor today.  In a surprise to all, the Governor vetoed the hard fought $1.3 million increase to the Assisted Living Specialized Dementia Care (SDC) rates.  This was done in part to reduce the supplemental operating budget spending by a total of $445 million to offset, in part, the emergency funding provided to address the states response to COVID.  For a summary of the relevant parts of the budget, please see our write up here.

Questions? Contact:

David Carter, Director Health Care Finance & Policy

LeadingAge Washington
c: 360.888.5702