H.B. 343 Nursing Care Facility Program Amendments: transcript

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I have a friend with me that is going to help with the presentation. I'll have her introduce herself.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, into the committee. Allison Spengler, Utah Healthcare Association. Uh, this bill is, um, the result of collaborative work between the long-term care industry and, uh, DHHS to ensure that we would not only satisfy our needs, but also be mutually agreeable. Under existing law nursing facilities may request approval from DHHS to temporarily suspend licensed beds when undertaking a full rebuild or an extensive remodel. During this approved suspension, facilities are allowed to take beds offline without being subject to provider taxes or routine surveys. To reinstate these beds, the facility must complete the remodel, pass required inspections, and submit an application to DHHS for license reinstatement. This bill makes a narrow technical adjustment to that framework. Specifically, it extends the allowable timeframe to complete a rebuild or a major remodel from three years to five years. It also allows a facility whose license expired to request reinstatement within four years beyond the original three year period. These changes reflect the real world timelines associated with major construction projects, including financing, permitting, labor availability, and supply chain delays, factors that are largely outside of provider's control. Importantly, this bill does not expand the nursing home Medicaid program or add any additional beds to the state. You happy to take any Questions? That concludes your presentation.

Clunkiest clunkiest thing over here. I'm just curious if we have an idea about how many numbers of beds we're talking about or that have been going offline.

Not very many. Um, and typically it's just to knock down an old facility and rebuild a new facility. Um, or it's, uh, they've got a couple different licenses. Like we have a long-term care acute hospital that also has some, a couple of sniff licenses or skilled nursing facility licenses. Um, and they'll put those on hold to do some remodel. So it, it varies by facility. Sometimes 65 beds, sometimes a hundred. Our average, um, uh, licensed beds in the state is about 80. So, but it's, it's not, it, it doesn't happen often, but just enough that we don't want them to lose those licenses because there is this strict moratorium where you can't add any more beds, so.

Gotcha. This would just give 'em a little more time.

I Would, Senator Plumb, I would move that we favorably forward House Bill 3 43 to the full body of the Senate.

I appreciate the motion and the discussion. Thanks.

Hi. I'm so sorry. I, I know I have all mics that I should leave. I, Senator Vickers had asked me to do that last time. I'm Not trying to trap you. I'm just like lazy. Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. And thank you for letting a senator go before me in the House committee. Um, so this, this bill, uh, it's, it's kind of a simple, I think it's a simple change. So it demands how long a facility has to reactivate, uh, recently licensed beds after they've been suspended. And I have someone up here, uh, Ali Spangler to help me with my presentation. I guess you'll have to introduce yourself and sign the, the paper. Can you wait? There we go. Thank you.

Hello, Allison s Spangler, Utah Healthcare Association. Thank you so much for having me. We represent all of the long-term care nursing home facilities in the state of Utah. Um, I'm gonna just share a little bit about the changes here on this bill. It is a result of collaborative work between the long-term care industry and the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that it would not only satisfy our needs, but also mutually agreeable. The language currently is in this bill, reflects that consensus. Under existing law nursing facilities may request approval from DHHS to temporarily suspend licensed beds when undertaking a full rebuild or extensive remodel. During this approved suspension, facilities are allowed to take beds offline without being subject to provider taxes or routine surveys. To reinstate those beds, the facilities must complete the remodel pass required inspections, and submit an application to DHHS for license reinstatement. This bill makes a narrow technical adjustment to that framework, specifically extends the allowable timeframe to complete a rebuild or a major remodel from three years to five years. It also allows a facility whose license expired to request reinstatement within four years beyond the original three year period. These changes reflect the real world timelines associated with major construction projects, including financing, permitting, labor availability, and supply chain delays. These factors are largely outside of provider's control. Importantly, this bill does not expand the n the Nursing Home Medicaid program or add any additional beds to the state. Thank you.

Yes. Yes. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. I'd make a motion that we pass with a favorable recommendation, P 3 43 nursing care facility program amendments. Would Like to speak to that?

I'll waive. All right.

Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Tem. So this bill is a result of some collaboration between the nursing care facilities that handle Medicaid beds and also the, uh, DHHS as well. So under current law, when a nursing care facility has a remodel or something going on, a new, a new addition, anything like that, they can suspend their license beds for a certain period of time. Uh, what we found is sometimes these remodels take a little bit longer than the current three years, so we're extending that to five years is what we're doing. So the other piece of the bill, uh, some of these facilities take so long that they don't renew their actual license through the state, so it extends that period as well. And, and that's what the bill does and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Will the sponsor yield to a question Sponsor yield?

No.

Is that a no? If It's no, then I'll sit down.

I'll waive thanks. Summation is waived.

You Mr. President Pro Tem. Uh, the bill amends a permitted extension of the time period for certifying nursing ca care facility program nursing care beds. So it doesn't expand a nursing home. Uh, Medicaid beds in the state of Utah. The bill has, the bill simply amends how long a facility has to reactivate or recertify those beds. So currently, uh, that a facility can certify those beds for two years. This would give them the ability that if it's certified, that they could extend it to as long as four years. Um, and with that I'm open for any questions. That's simply what it does.

Thank you. I would waive summation, move the house. Bill 3 43. Be read a third time.

and can have, uh, Medicaid beds certified for two years. This would allow them to be extended up to for up to four years in a facility that I'm open for.

Way summation. The move is house bill 3 43 pass. And the question is,

Senator Wilson. Motion To circle sponsors off the floor.

Thank you Mr. President Prote. Motion to encircle Senate bill 2 0 5. The motion is to Uncer second substitute Senate bill 2 0 5.

Thank you Mr. President Pro Tem. Uh, this is a bill that we discussed yesterday on third and then after it passed I realized I had forgotten to adopt a sub.