The Washington State Legislature and Gov. Inslee have announced plans to change and improve the WA Cares Fund during the 2022 legislative session, which is scheduled to conclude in March 2022. Per direction from the governor, ESD will not collect premiums from employers until April 2022 or until the Legislature gives further direction.

​All home care agencies in Washington are encouraged to order gloves, gowns, masks, respirators, and other supplies from the PPE Stockpile as soon as possible. Access to this resource will end on October 25. Each facility is eligible to order up to a 90 day supply. To access this resource, contact your local Emergency Management Agency. ​

The Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission and Department of Health have jointly filed emergency rules to reinstate medication assistance rules as permitted under chapter 69.41 RCW. Specifically, these rules, filed under WSR 21-15-108 establish criteria for medication assistance in community-based and in-home care settings in accordance with RCW 69.41.010(15). ​

On August 20, 2021, Governor Inslee issued a revised version of his vaccination mandate. The Proclamation had several revisions of which long-term care providers should be aware. The most important revision addresses the vaccination requirements for contractors. Under the newly-revised Proclamation, the operators of Health Care Settings may elect to require the contractor or the actual company employing the contractor to assume responsibility for the vaccination verification and the reasonable accommodation requirements. The revised Proclamation provides a detailed explanation of the steps that must be taken by contractors to satisfy the proof of vaccination requirements for Health Care Settings. In addition, any Health Care Setting electing to require contractors to assume responsibility for vaccination and accommodation retains the right to investigate the contractor’s compliance and to withdraw the election at any time. ​

​On May 11, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed into law SB 5115, the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA), which expands the workers’ compensation framework for infectious and contagious diseases and imposes new notice requirements on employers. The law adopts language similar to that contained in California’s SB 1159 (establishing a rebuttable presumption for workplace transmission of COVID-19) and AB 685 (creating notice requirements for potential workplace exposure to COVID-19) with some notable differences. read more

​​​​Last week, Amazon announced it is expanding the on-demand, virtual care platform, Amazon Care, in Washington now and nationally later this year. Earlier this month, Amazon Care teamed up with a variety of health care organizations — Signify Health, Ascension, Home Instead Senior Care and others — to form “Moving Health Home,” a new advocacy group with the goal of changing federal and state policies to expand at-home care. What does this mean for the home care industry?