Olympia first responders’ board reviews policy for long-term care; seeks clear definition of various care services

Olympia's Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters' (LEOFF) Disability Board is updating its policy for long-term services as it reviews and clarifies definitions of various care types to ensure members have access to the appropriate level of support.

The board members engaged in a lengthy discussion about defining terms like skilled nursing, assisted living, and adult family homes.

LEOFF Staff Debbi Hufana said the LEOFF covers costs for two members in adult-family homes, three in skilled nursing settings, and one in in-home care.

She added that in-home care costs them more than the other long-term care settings.

Under the Olympia LEOFF policy, Hufana told the board that they must cover the members' cost of skilled nursing care. 

Hufana mentioned that there were requests for support from members for assisted living, but have been denied.

"We don't do assisted living….it has not been medically necessary for them to live in a facility,” Hufana explained. “They just wanted to move in and get care activities of daily living (ADL), which they could get in their home."

"It doesn't take any more clarification. I was just wondering if you have any preference on that as we update our policy next year," Hufana inquired.

Based on her review of ten to 12 LEOFF policies in other areas, Hufana said some paid for long-term care for their members. Some go "full gamut" whatever members want, while some pay for assisted living apartments.

LEOFF Board Chair Jim Cooper is open to paying for assisted living for a member "if we get into a higher level of care [than] where medical was coming into the apartment."

Board member Steve Cooper said they need more clarification on the definition of assisted living, saying there are some facilities with different levels of care.

"It is like level 1 to level 5. Level 1 can be as simple as medication management, to up to ADL with bathing, dressing, and others that we see in a skilled nursing facility, but they are in an assisted living facility," the board member said.

Cooper suggested that the board may not pay for the room but could shoulder the additional cost of medication management or bathing.

Board member Mark Hansen, who has years of experience in the insurance industry, volunteered to go to the Insurance Commissioner's Office to get clearer definitions of the current terms they were referring to and to know the trend going forward. "Memory care, skilled nursing, ADLs, all of this is factoring more and more as our people age."

Cooper suggested contacting a concierge service that helps people determine the best care level based on medical necessity, adding that they are knowledgeable on Washington State law and options that are based on the area.