S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  8198

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              June 11, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  DenDEKKER  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Ways and Means

AN ACT to amend the state finance law in relation  to  establishing  the
  veterans home and community based care pilot program

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. There is hereby created in the state division of  veterans'
affairs a pilot program to test the benefit, quality, cost-effectiveness
and  increased  access  to  services of a coordinated, interdisciplinary
plan of home and community based  services  for  veterans.  The  program
shall  seek  through  an enhanced integrated, interdisciplinary model to
more fully meet the comprehensive health, psychosocial and related needs
of veterans, promote health and wellness, support quality  of  life  and
community engagement.
  S  2. The program shall be structured as a collaborative model between
home care  agencies,  physicians  and  other  partners,  addressing  the
comprehensive,  interdisciplinary  needs  of  veterans  through home and
community based services and the engagement of partners  throughout  the
health,  psychosocial,  vocational  and  social  service  continuum. The
program shall provide an individualized plan for participating veterans,
which considers the unique needs  and  circumstances  of  each  veteran,
including  factors  related  to  health, age, military service and other
determining characteristics. Participation in the program  by  agencies,
physicians, other program partners and veterans shall be voluntary.
  S 3. (a) The state director of the division of veterans' affairs shall
implement the pilot program through eligible home care agencies, collab-
orating physicians and other partners with experience in veterans care.
  (b)  Eligible  home  care agencies include certified home health agen-
cies, licensed home care services agencies and  long  term  home  health
care programs.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD11355-01-5

              

A. 8198                             2

  (c) Such state director shall issue a request for applications to home
care agencies wishing to apply, in conjunction with collaborating physi-
cians  and  partners  to be considered for the pilot program. Such state
director shall convene an advisory  group  to  assist  in  establishing,
evaluating  the  results  of and recommending further action pursuant to
the pilot program; the advisory group shall include  representatives  of
the  state  department of health, a statewide association representative
of home health care services, a statewide association representative  of
physicians,  veterans  organizations,  the New York State Health Founda-
tion, and other parties with expertise in  veterans  affairs  which  the
director  determines to be appropriate. Such state director shall evalu-
ate and select applicants for participation based on program and scoring
criteria determined by the director in consultation  with  the  advisory
group.
  S  4.  The  state  director  of  the  division of veterans' affairs is
authorized to seek federal funding to supplement any state funds  avail-
able  to  support  the  pilot  program,  as  well as to seek and receive
philanthropic funds for the program, for deposit into the veterans  home
care  pilot  program  fund  established under section 99-aa of the state
finance law. Such state director is further authorized to  seek  federal
waivers  or  other  federal  authority for integrating through the pilot
program the benefits available to veterans for  pilot  program  services
through  the  United  States  department  of veterans affairs, Medicare,
Medicaid and/or any other federal benefit  program  available  for  such
services to veterans.
  S  5.  The state division of veterans' affairs shall work with partic-
ipating providers to collect and analyze  experiential  information  and
data  from the pilot program for review and recommendation for continua-
tion, modification, expansion and/or other policy or program improvement
for veterans.
  S 6. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-aa to
read as follows:
  S 99-AA. VETERANS HOME CARE PILOT PROGRAM FUND.  1.  THERE  IS  HEREBY
ESTABLISHED  IN  THE  JOINT CUSTODY OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER AND COMMIS-
SIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE "VETER-
ANS HOME CARE PILOT PROGRAM FUND".
  2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS APPROPRIATED FOR THE  PURPOSE
OF  SUCH FUND AND ANY GRANT, GIFT, BEQUEST OR OTHER FUNDS DEPOSITED INTO
SUCH FUND FOR PURPOSES OF THE VETERAN HOME  CARE  PILOT  PROGRAM  ESTAB-
LISHED WITHIN THE STATE DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
  3. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE STATE DIRECTOR OF
THE  DIVISION  OF  VETERANS' AFFAIRS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING GRANTS
AND FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE DIVISION PURSUANT TO THE VETERANS HOME  CARE
PILOT PROGRAM.
  4.  THE  MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE PAID OUT ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT
OF THE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS CERTIFIED OR APPROVED BY THE STATE DIREC-
TOR OF THE DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS, OR BY AN OFFICER  OR  EMPLOYEE
OF THE DIVISION DESIGNATED BY SUCH STATE DIRECTOR.
  S 7. This act shall take effect immediately.