Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Veterans Residential Care Choice Act”.
Veterans Residential Care Choice Act
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish, at the request of an eligible veteran, nursing home care and hospital care at State licensed or certified residential care facilities.
Sec. 2 Department of Veterans Affairs provision of nursing home care and hospital care at State licensed or certified residential care facilities
In general— Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
“1720J. State licensed or certified residential care facilities
“(a) In general—At the request of an eligible veteran for whom the Secretary is required to provide domiciliary, nursing home, adult day health, or hospital care under this chapter, or whom the Secretary determines is in need of such care, the Secretary may place the veteran in a State licensed or certified residential care facility that meets Department standards, at the expense of the United States, pursuant to a contract or agreement entered into between the Secretary and the facility for such purpose, if the cost of providing such care to such veteran through such facility is less than the cost of providing such care to the veteran through any other available option. A veteran who is placed in such a facility under this section shall agree, as a condition of such placement, to accept home health services furnished by the Secretary under section 1717 of this title.
“(b) Eligibility—For purposes of this section, an eligible veteran is a veteran who is eligible for hospital care or medical services under section 1710 of this title.
“(c) Definition of State licensed or certified residential care facility—In this section, the term State licensed or certified residential care facility means any assisted living facility, basic care facility, community residence, enriched housing program, home for the aged, personal care home, shared housing establishment, or other similar licensed or certified facility.”
Clerical amendment— The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to such subchapter the following new item:
Applicability— Section 1720J of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to any veteran who is eligible under subsection (b) of that section, including such a veteran who, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, resides in a State licensed or certified residential care facility, as such term is defined in subsection (c) of such section.