Delaying the rebasing of the nursing home payment rates to 2028.

 Z-0210.1

SENATE BILL 5407

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senators Riccelli, Robinson, and Nobles; by request of Office of Financial Management

Read first time 01/21/25. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

AN ACT Relating to delaying the rebasing of the nursing home payment rates to 2028; and amending RCW 74.46.561 .

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 74.46.561 and 2023 c 475 s 942 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislature adopts a new system for establishing nursing home payment rates beginning July 1, 2016. Any payments to nursing homes for services provided after June 30, 2016, must be based on the new system. The new system must be designed in such a manner as to decrease administrative complexity associated with the payment methodology, reward nursing homes providing care for high acuity residents, incentivize quality care for residents of nursing homes, and establish minimum staffing standards for direct care.