WHCA Pushes Back on Burdensome TB Rule Proposal

WHCA is raising serious concerns with the latest draft tuberculosis (TB) regulations released April 24, 2026. Rather than clarifying existing rules, the 15-page proposal adds layers of complexity, cost, and confusion to an already problematic section of WAC.

After more than a year of internal revisions, stakeholders were given just one week to review sweeping and previously undisclosed changes. The result is a proposal that expects assisted living providers to take on medical procedures, like administering TB skin tests, requiring additional clinical staffing, prescribing providers, and new supply costs, all without clear justification.

The draft also creates a compliance trap. Multi-step testing timelines increase the likelihood of missed deadlines, exposing providers to citations despite good-faith efforts to comply. At the same time, the proposal places unnecessary barriers on volunteers, further straining an already limited workforce.

Most concerning, the rules don’t address a fundamental question: why expand testing requirements at all? TB incidence in assisted living settings remains low, and other states do not impose this level of burden. WHCA urges the department to reconsider this approach and instead adopt a targeted model based on risk assessments and symptom screening.

WHCA is calling for an immediate return to stakeholder engagement to develop a more practical, evidence-based solution—one that protects residents without imposing unworkable mandates.