CONTENTS Page Chase, Dr. John D. (See Veterans' Administration.) Coy, Robert E. (See Veterans' Administration.) Disabled American Veterans. Chet Huber, national director of legisla- 2715–2716, 2728–2729, 2731, 2735–2736 Finch, Herman M. (See University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical Golembieski, Edward (See American Legion.) Hammerschmidt, Hon. John Paul_. 2674, 2680-2681, 2685, 2689-2690 2678-2679, 2684–2685, 2688–2689, 2699-2701, 2716, 2720-2721, 2728– National Association of Retail Druggists: Woods, William E., Associate 2659-2663 Reeves, John. (See American Federation of Government Employees.) Roberts, Hon. Ray, chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs_-_. 2678, 2680 Roffee, Lawrence W., Jr. (See Paralyzed Veterans of America.) Satterfield, Hon. David E., III, chairman, subcommittee on Hospitals. 2655, 2659, 2674, 2678-2682, 2684-2686, 2688-2690, 2696, 2699-2701, 2703-2704, 2711, 2713, 2715-2720, 2728-2729, 2731-2736 Say, Harold B. (See Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A., Inc.) Schwab, Donald H. (See Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.) Sniffen, Robert A. (See AMVETS.) University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School: Finch, Herman M., Chase, Dr. John D., Chief Medical Director_. Coy, Robert E., Assistant General Counsel--- Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States: Schwab, Donald H., di- Whitehurst, Hon. G. William__ 2656-2658 Woods, William E. (See National Association of Retail Druggists.) HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL HEARINGS TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1976 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in Room 334, Cannon House Office Building, the Honorable David E. Satterfield, chairman, presiding. Mr. SATTERFIELD. The subcommittee will come to order. We are meeting this morning to conduct hearings on nine bills, relating to the medical and hospital programs, which cover a wide spectrum of legislation in this area. Without objection, I will insert the text of the bills and the reports of the Veterans' Administration. [The bills and reports follow:] (2585) 94TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1543 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 16, 1975 Mr. SATTERFIELD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 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. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tires of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That section 620 of title 38, United States Code, is amended 4 by striking out in subclause (ii) of subsection (a) "40" and inserting in lieu thereof “45”. 5 [No. 29] · COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS, Hon. RAY ROBERTS, Washington, D.C., July 7, 1975. Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 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). |