STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3415
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
___________
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:
1 Section 1. There is hereby created in the state division of veterans'
2 affairs a pilot program to test the benefit, quality, cost-effectiveness
3 and increased access to services of a coordinated, interdisciplinary
4 plan of home and community based services for veterans. The program
5 shall seek through an enhanced integrated, interdisciplinary model to
6 more fully meet the comprehensive health, psychosocial and related needs
7 of veterans, promote health and wellness, support quality of life and
8 community engagement.
9 § 2. The program shall be structured as a collaborative model between
10 home care agencies, physicians and other partners, addressing the
11 comprehensive, interdisciplinary needs of veterans through home and
12 community based services and the engagement of partners throughout the
13 health, psychosocial, vocational and social service continuum. The
14 program shall provide an individualized plan for participating veterans,
15 which considers the unique needs and circumstances of each veteran,
16 including factors related to health, age, military service and other
17 determining characteristics. Participation in the program by agencies,
18 physicians, other program partners and veterans shall be voluntary.
19 § 3. (a) The state director of the division of veterans' affairs shall
20 implement the pilot program through eligible home care agencies, collab-
21 orating physicians and other partners with experience in veterans care.
22 (b) Eligible home care agencies include certified home health agen-
23 cies, licensed home care services agencies and long term home health
24 care programs.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00985-01-7
A. 3415 2
1 (c) Such state director shall issue a request for applications to home
2 care agencies wishing to apply, in conjunction with collaborating physi-
3 cians and partners to be considered for the pilot program. Such state
4 director shall convene an advisory group to assist in establishing,
5 evaluating the results of and recommending further action pursuant to
6 the pilot program; the advisory group shall include representatives of
7 the state department of health, a statewide association representative
8 of home health care services, a statewide association representative of
9 physicians, veterans organizations, the New York State Health Founda-
10 tion, and other parties with expertise in veterans affairs which the
11 director determines to be appropriate. Such state director shall evalu-
12 ate and select applicants for participation based on program and scoring
13 criteria determined by the director in consultation with the advisory
14 group.
15 § 4. The state director of the division of veterans' affairs is
16 authorized to seek federal funding to supplement any state funds avail-
17 able to support the pilot program, as well as to seek and receive
18 philanthropic funds for the program, for deposit into the veterans home
19 care pilot program fund established under section 99-aa of the state
20 finance law. Such state director is further authorized to seek federal
21 waivers or other federal authority for integrating through the pilot
22 program the benefits available to veterans for pilot program services
23 through the United States department of veterans affairs, Medicare,
24 Medicaid and/or any other federal benefit program available for such
25 services to veterans.
26 § 5. The state division of veterans' affairs shall work with partic-
27 ipating providers to collect and analyze experiential information and
28 data from the pilot program for review and recommendation for continua-
29 tion, modification, expansion and/or other policy or program improvement
30 for veterans.
31 § 6. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-aa to
32 read as follows:
33 § 99-aa. Veterans home care pilot program fund. 1. There is hereby
34 established in the joint custody of the state comptroller and commis-
35 sioner of taxation and finance a special fund to be known as the "veter-
36 ans home care pilot program fund".
37 2. Such fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated for the purpose
38 of such fund and any grant, gift, bequest or other funds deposited into
39 such fund for purposes of the veteran home care pilot program estab-
40 lished within the state division of veterans' affairs.
41 3. Monies of the fund shall be made available to the state director of
42 the division of veterans' affairs for the purpose of providing grants
43 and for the expenses of the division pursuant to the veterans home care
44 pilot program.
45 4. The monies of the fund shall be paid out on the audit and warrant
46 of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the state direc-
47 tor of the division of veterans' affairs, or by an officer or employee
48 of the division designated by such state director.
49 § 7. This act shall take effect immediately.
