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Legislation News & Report (TM) TheWeekInCongress.com (TM) Managing America: Veterans |
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TheWeekInCongress.com (TM) Week Ending August 3, 2007
H.R.2623 To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the collection of co-payments for all hospice care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Palliative care consults in VA hospitals more than doubled between FY 2003 and FY 2006 and surpassed 20,000 in FY 2006. The number of veterans receiving VA-paid home hospice care tripled between FY 2003 and FY 2005, and increased another 30 percent in FY 2006, reaching an average daily census of 427 veterans . VA has reported that they track copayment amounts for inpatient services and outpatient services collectively rather than by individual services. It is, therefore, difficult to determine the exact amount of revenue VA has received from hospice care copayments. However, VA estimates a total of $343,542 in annual revenue: $183,180 for home hospice care, and $160,362 for inpatient hospice care.
Under current law, a veteran receiving hospice care in a nursing home is exempt from any applicable co-payments. However, if the hospice care is provided in any other setting, such as in an acute-care hospital or at home, the veteran may be subject to an inpatient or outpatient primary care co-payments.”
The co-payments range from $15 to $97 dollars per day. The bill eliminates the copayments.
Sponsor: Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL-1st) Vote: Passed House by voice vote July 30, 2007 Cost to the taxpayers: “CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2623 would decrease collections by less than $500,000 each year and by about $2 million over the 2008-2012 period.” Earmark Certification: H.R. 2623, as amended, does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives ## All Rights Reserved. © 2007 TheWeekInCongress.com(TM) No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)
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