[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7158 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7158
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 5, 2022
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment
of care in non-Department of Veterans Affairs medical foster homes for
certain veterans who are unable to live independently, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Long-Term Care Veterans Choice
Act''.
SEC. 2. SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CONTRACT AUTHORITY FOR PAYMENT OF
CARE FOR VETERANS IN NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
MEDICAL FOSTER HOMES.
(a) Authority.--
(1) In general.--Section 1720 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(h)(1) During the five-year period beginning on the date of the
enactment of the Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act, and subject to
paragraph (3)--
``(A) at the request of a veteran for whom the Secretary is
required to provide nursing home care under section 1710A of
this title, the Secretary may place the veteran in a medical
foster home that meets Department standards, at the expense of
the United States, pursuant to a contract, agreement, or other
arrangement entered into between the Secretary and the medical
foster home for such purpose; and
``(B) the Secretary may pay for care of a veteran placed in
a medical foster home before such date of enactment, if the
home meets Department standards, pursuant to a contract,
agreement, or other arrangement entered into between the
Secretary and the medical foster home for such purpose.
``(2) A veteran on whose behalf the Secretary pays for care in a
medical foster home under paragraph (1) shall agree, as a condition of
such payment, to accept home health services furnished by the Secretary
under section 1717 of this title.
``(3) In any year, not more than a daily average of 900 veterans
receiving care in a medical foster home, whether placed before, on, or
after the date of the enactment of the Long-Term Care Veterans Choice
Act, may have their care covered at the expense of the United States
under paragraph (1).
``(4) The prohibition under section 1730(b)(3) of this title shall
not apply to a veteran whose care is covered at the expense of the
United States under paragraph (1).
``(5) In this subsection, the term `medical foster home' means a
home designed to provide non-institutional, long-term, supportive care
for veterans who are unable to live independently and prefer a family
setting.''.
(2) Effective date.--Subsection (h) of section 1720 of
title 38, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall
take effect 90 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(b) Ongoing Monitoring of Medical Foster Home Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
create a system to monitor and assess the workload for the
Department of Veterans Affairs in carrying out the authority
under section 1720(h) of title 38, United States Code, as added
by subsection (a)(1), including by tracking--
(A) requests by veterans to be placed in a medical
foster home under such section;
(B) denials of such requests, including the reasons
for such denials;
(C) the total number of medical foster homes
applying to participate under such section,
disaggregated by those approved and those denied
approval by the Department to participate;
(D) veterans receiving care at a medical foster
home at the expense of the United States; and
(E) veterans receiving care at a medical foster
home at their own expense.
(2) Report.--Based on the monitoring and assessments
conducted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall identify and
submit to Congress a report on such modifications to
implementing section 1720(h) of title 38, United States Code,
as added by subsection (a)(1), as the Secretary considers
necessary to ensure the authority under such section is
functioning as intended and care is provided to veterans under
such section as intended.
(3) Medical foster home defined.--In this subsection, the
term ``medical foster home'' has the meaning given that term in
section 1720(h) of title 38, United States Code, as added by
subsection (a)(1).
(c) Comptroller General Report.--Not later than each of three years
and six years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a
report--
(1) assessing the implementation of this section and the
amendments made by this section;
(2) assessing the impact of the monitoring and
modifications under subsection (b) on care provided under
section 1720(h) of title 38, United States Code, as added by
subsection (a)(1); and
(3) setting forth recommendations for improvements to the
implementation of such section, as the Comptroller General
considers appropriate.
(d) Modification of Certain Housing Loan Fee.--The loan fee table
in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``January 14, 2031'' each place it appears and inserting
``February 15, 2031''.
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Passed the House of Representatives December 1, 2022.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.