[No. 29] - COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION, Washington, D.C., July 7, 1975. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This will respond to your request for a report by the Veterans Administration on H.R. 1543, 94th Congress, a bill “To amend section 620, title 38, United States Code, to authorize payment of a higher proportion of hospital costs in establishing amounts payable for nursing home care of certain veterans, and for other purposes." The subject bill would amend section 620 of title 38 to authorize the Administrator to provide community nursing home care if he determines that the cost of such nursing home care will not exceed 45 percent of the cost of care furnished in a Veterans' Administration facility. Under current law, the cost of such community nursing home care must not exceed 40 percent of the cost of care furnished in a Veterans' Administration facility. The restriction limiting the cost of community nursing home care to 40 percent of the cost of care furnished in a VA facility has, in a few localities, restricted our ability to provide needed nursing home care to veterans. The subject bill would enable us to provide needed nursing home care in those localities, and would provide needed flexibility for the VA to parallel other Federal/State public assistance payments, and compete for skilled nursing beds in community facilities. Accordingly, we favor the enactment of H.R. 1543. Since costs in most areas can now be met within the 40 percent of costs of care in VA facilities limit as currently provided by law, there are only a few localities where the new 45 percent limit proposed in the bill would be used. Therefore, the cost of the subject bill, if enacted, would be minimal. We are advised by the Office of Management and Budget that there is no objection to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the Administration's program. Sincerely, ODELL W. VAUGHN, Deputy Administrator (For and in the absence of Richard L. Roudebush, Administrator). 94TII CONGRESS 1st SESSION H. R. 3347 IN TIIE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 19, 1975 Mr. SATTERFIELD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com mittee on Veterans Affairs A BILL To amend title 38 of the United States Code in order to revise the eligibility requirements and the medical benefits pro vided to eligible veterans, and for other purposes. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa 2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That subchapters I and II of chapter 17 of title 38, United 4 States Code, are amended to read as follows: 2 1 mediate, or long-term care, provided in a hospital, 2 nursing home, domiciliary, or similar facility; 3 4 “(B) outpatient or ambulatory care; “ (C) physician and dentist services (including consultant and referral services by a physician or 5 6 dentist); 7 8 “(D) such mental health services, consultation, professional counseling, and training of the members of the immediate family or legal guardian of the 9 10 veteran, or of such person in whose household such 11 veteran certifies his intention to live, as may be 12 necessary or appropriate to the effective treatment 13 and rehabilitation of the veteran; 14 15 16 17 18 19 “(E) diagnostic laboratory services and diagnostic and therapeutic radiologic services; “(F) home health services; “(H) physical medicine and rehabilitative medical services (including physical therapy); “ (I) prescription drugs prescribed in the course of the provision of basic health services; “(J) outpatient dental services and treatment, and related dental appliances, for any dental condition or disability which is 20 21 22 23 24 20 21 afforded as are required to complete professionally acceptable treatment, (iii) a service-connected dental condition 22 66 23 or disability due to combat wounds or other 11 12 13 14 15 16 “(M) prosthetic appliances, aids, parts, or accessories which are required to replace, support, or substitute for a deformed, weakened, or missing anatomical portion of the body (other than teeth), including fitting and training in the use of such material, and seeing eye or guide dogs for blind veterans whose eligibility stems from section 610 (a) of this title; “ (N) therapeutic and medical rehabilitative devices, including invalid lifts, and such other medical equipment, supplies, and accessories as the 17 18 19 20 21 22 Administrator determines to be reasonably neces 23 sary; 24 " (0) transportation and incidental expenses 25 for veteran who is in need of treatment for a |
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