Currently there are 830,000 people over the age of 65 in Washington state. That evens out to about fourteen percent of the population. Over the last few days, the House of Representatives has taken necessary steps towards making sure that Washington is ready to meet the needs of its aging population.
“Thirty percent of the district I represent is over the age of 65,” said Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim). “As a paramedic, I see what happens when these folks don’t have access to care. We must act now to meet the future demands of an aging population.”
These steps came in the form of a series of bills designed to make our long-term care system more efficient and user friendly, while still ensuring quality of care.
The bills include:
- House Bill 1441: Sponsored by Rep. Van De Wege, this bill cuts down on the amount of time in which a long-term care denial can be made. Often times a patient’s condition worsens as they wait for a decision; this change allows a person to make critical decisions in a timely manner.
- House Bill 1629: This bill comes from Rep. Eileen Cody (D-West Seattle) and it addresses the major roadblocks to getting quality long-term care workers certified. Among other things, it extends the timeframe for certification and establishes a provisional certification for certain workers. It also exempts long-term workers from unnecessary continuing education requirements.
- House Bill 1499: Rep. Laurie Jinkins’ (D-Tacoma) bill would improve upon the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). It requires that DSHS allow clients enrolled in PACE to elect to remain in the program, even when their health status improves, so they don’t lose the services that are keeping them healthy.
- House Bill 1727: Courtesy of Rep. Dawn Morrell (D-Puyallup), this measure makes it easier for individuals to stay in assisted living homes – rather than going to a nursing home. It makes a small change to allow assisted living facilities to provide continuous nursing services, if they choose to do so.
- House Bill 1631: Rep. Steve Tharinger’s (D-Dungeness) bill would address the needs of the growing elderly and disabled population. It established the Joint Legislative Committee on Aging and Disability, which would be tasked with coming up with a plan of action to meet the needs of our aging population.
“Everyone should have access to affordable care that keeps them both healthy and comfortable,” said Rep. Laurie Jinkins, vice chair of the Health Care and Wellness Committee. “These bills make critical improvements necessary to maintaining the integrity of our long-term health care system in Washington. Our parents, relatives, friends and neighbors deserve nothing less”
These measures now move to the Senate for their consideration.