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HB could lead to more money for nursing homes

Duncan Banner - 3/12/2019

March 09-- Mar. 9--House Bill 1902, originally authored by Rep. Marcus McEntire and co-authored by Speaker Charles McCall, passed the house with 30 "yes" votes in an effort to "redevelop an incentive reimbursement plan for nursing facilities aimed at improving resident quality of life and outcomes."

Several organizations have partnered together to advocate for seniors, including the Oklahoma chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, AARP Oklahoma, Care Providers Oklahoma, LeadingAge Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Alliance on Aging, the Oklahoma Nurses Association, the Oklahoma Silver-Haired Legislature Alumni Association, the Oklahoma State Council on Aging and the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

According to a release, Oklahoma currently ranks "48th or below in Quality Measures among Nursing Home Residents, and among the five worst states in the U.S. for life expectancy."

The initiative, if passed, aims to improve those rankings.

McEntire said the legislation is aimed at maximizing the incentives for improvements while fostering better care for nursing home residents.

"We want this to be a piece of legislation that has an immediate and tangible impact," said McEntire. "Nursing home residents and their families will be able to see the difference and experience an increase in quality of care."

As it stands, the bills required:

--The authority to establish an advisory group to recommend quality measures to be included in the pay-for-performance program.

--Modifies specified uses of the Nursing Facility Quality of Care Fund by OHCA by directing that a portion be used to fund 15 long-term care ombudsmen employed by DHS, and to increase the personal needs allowance for residents from $30 to $50 per month per resident.

--Authorizes facilities, beginning Jan. 1, 2020, to implement 24-house based staff scheduling and increases the direct-care service rate from 2.86 to 2.9 hours per resident per day.

--Prohibits a nursing facility administrator from being included in the direct-care staff-to-resident ratio regardless of his or her licensure or certification status.

--Modifies the methodology used by OHCA to calculate the direct care rate component.

McCall said with as many organizations behind the bill as there are, its apparent there's a need.

"We are hearing from our constituents that it is time to act," McCall said. "Our seniors and our Oklahomans with disabilities deserve the best care possible. I am excited to be a part of this solution."

There is, however, Senate Bill 280, which passed unanimously in the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is similar legislation authored by Sen. Roger Thompson.

While HB 1902 passed the House, the title was stricken, and it will now appear before the senate.

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