{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr294-114/featured_long-term-care-veterans-choice-act-1454546295.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr294-114/featured_large_long-term-care-veterans-choice-act-1454546295.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr294-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-01-13","title_override":"Giving Vets With Severe Service-Related Disabilities Access To Longterm Care Outside Of The VA","summary_override":"

This bill would allow the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer long-term care in medical foster homes (MFH) to certain veterans with severe service-related disabilities.

The VA would be authorized to put up to 900 veterans in these medical facilities, and would have to foot the bill. MFH's are private homes where trained caregivers attend to a small number of individuals. As the CBO explains in it's cost estimate of this bill:

\"VA has an existing program under which it inspects and approves MFHs for veterans. Veterans currently living in such homes are eligible to receive VA’s Home Based Primary Care services, which include case management and health care provided in the home. VA is not currently authorized to pay for the cost of living in MFHs, but under this bill, VA could pay that cost.\"

This bill would also cap the number of bonuses awarded to VA employees through 2018 at $300 million. From 2019 - 2024, the cap would be $360 million. For context, the CBO found that between 2010 and 2013, the VA averaged $395 million in bonuses and awards to employees.

","official_title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts and agreements for the placement of veterans in non-Department medical foster homes for certain veterans who are unable to live independently.","short_title":"Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act\n\n(Sec. 2) Authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), during the three-year period beginning on October 1, 2015, at the request of a veteran for whom the VA is required to provide nursing home care, to place such veteran in a medical foster home that meets VA standards. Requires such veteran to agree, as a condition of such placement, to accept VA home health services.\n\nLimits the number of veterans placed in a medical foster home that may have their care covered at the expense of the United States to 900.\n\nAmends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to reduce the aggregate amount of awards and bonuses that may be paid by the VA in each of FY2015-FY2018 to $300 million.","summarized":true,"cost":0,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate found that implementing this bill would reduce discretionary costs by $253 million over the 2016-2020 period, subject to appropriation action consistent with the bill.","impact":"Veterans in need of medical foster care, their families and caretakers, public and private healthcare providers, medical foster care owners and operators, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and the U.S. military. ","argument_for":"After the service that they’ve given our country, veterans deserve the best care. 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Giving Vets With Severe Service-Related Disabilities Access To Longterm Care Outside Of The VA