Robin Dale, CEO | February 25, 2022
Today is the 47th day of the 60-day short session. There are 13 days remaining until the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn. As we reported in our budget update on Monday, the House and Senate budget proposals were released on Monday in Olympia. WHCA testified to support the House budget proposal funding level for skilled and assisted living Medicaid services. Here’s the link to the budget update. Here’s the link to a three-way budget comparison prepared by Carma Matti-Jackson. In short, the House budget is the better supplemental proposal for skilled nursing and assisted living centers, and it will be critical to ensure that your legislators understand the importance of funding the proposal. Your focused action is requested:

  • Email your legislators today asking them to support the House budget proposal. Please ask your Washington friends, family members and associates to join in this advocacy effort.
  • Organize your employees, friends and family members and ask them to email or call the toll-free legislative hotline, 1-800-562-6000 to support the House Supplemental Budget proposal. Be prepared to leave your name, address, and your request encouraging support for the House budget proposal for skilled nursing and assisted living centers. The hotline is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during session.
 
Here’s the message: Support for patients, workers, and families in skilled nursing and assisted living has never been more crucial. Our patients, workers and families are relying on these resources. Please support the House budget proposal for skilled nursing and assisted living care.
 
Here’s a flyer you can use with your families, friends and colleagues to generate calls.
 
Budget negotiators will continue to work to reconcile their proposals, and this additional, sustained communication effort is essential. Thank you for making it a priority to act.
 
Problem Policies Continue to Advance
 
John Meier, WHCA Retro Program administrator, represented WHCA in the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee hearing this week on SHB 1837, legislation that would permit L & I authority to regulate ergonomics in the workplace. The opposition to the legislation is strong – however, the bill continues to advance. Click here for the work session and public hearing on the bill. The bill is now in the Rules Committee, where it must pass to be eligible for consideration on the floor of the Senate. In the House, floor debate over the legislation raged for 9-1/2 hours.
 
Legislation to establish hospital nurse and direct care staffing ratios also advanced from the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee this week. We continued to express concerns regarding the legislation, noting that providers are already hard-pressed to compete with hospitals for nurses and direct care staff. This bill has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee for consideration.

WHCA