HF 544 – Iowa Veterans Home omnibus
FLOOR ACTION:
HF 544 incorporates various recommendations by the Iowa Veterans Home (IVH), the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs and the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs. The proposal was previewed by the Iowa Veterans Coalition, American Legion, and Iowa Association of County Commissioners and Veterans Service Officers. The legislation:
• Changes terminology related to the levels of care and treatment provided at the IVH to specify the provision of nursing and residential levels of care.
• Allows gold star parents to be provided care at the IVH and defines “Gold Star parent” as any parent of a deceased member of the U.S. Armed Forces who died while serving on active duty during a time of military conflict or who died because of such service.
• Provides that the only persons who may be admitted are those who are disabled by disease, injury or old age, and meet qualifications for nursing or residential care; makes changes to admissions provisions by removing a provision allowing admission for persons who do not have sufficient means for their own support; and makes similar changes relating to admission of the surviving spouses of veterans.
• Provides that the Commandant will determine rental rates for cottages rented by staff, rather than having such rates determined by the Commission of Veterans Affairs as provided under current law.
• Removes certain personal income exclusions from the income qualification portion of the certificate of eligibility required to be signed by two members of the county commission of veterans affairs.
• Requires that members of the IVH with incomes of more than $140 per month contribute to their own support. Current law requires that members with incomes of more than $25 per month contribute to their own support. The Commandant will determine the amount of any such contributions rather than the director of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs. The sums paid for such support will be considered repayment receipts and credited to the IVH account rather than to the General Fund.
• Makes changes related to the payment to dependents from any pension or compensation received by a member of the IVH by providing that payments be sent by the Commandant to a spouse of a member by the eighth day of the month, or immediately if the payment or compensation is received after the eighth day of the month.
• Allows the IVH to withdraw money from the membership account to establish certificates of deposit for the benefit of all members of the IVH. The Commission will adopt rules for the administration of any program for such withdrawals.
• Removes the requirement that the Commandant be a licensed nursing home administrator.
• Makes additional changes related to involuntary discharge of members and the composition of the interdisciplinary resident care committee.
• Allows the IVH to temporarily draw more than the amount appropriated from the General Fund for any purpose, provided the amount appropriated is not exceeded at the close of the fiscal year. Currently, the IVH is only permitted to draw more than the amount appropriated for cash flow purposes.
• Repeals Code sections 35D.8 and 35D.16 related to conditional admittance to the IVH and the disposition of active duty members charged with a military offense.
The bill passed the House 95-0. The Senate unanimously approved an amendment that requires the Commission to adopt rules to emphasize the admission of homeless honorablydischarged veterans, and to include a mental health treatment staff member on the interdisciplinary resident care committee for an individual member who is also a patient. The bill returns to the House for further consideration. [3/27: 49-0 (McCoy absent)]