AB 614,
as amended, Chávez. Veterans’ homes of California:begin delete priority admission.end deletebegin insert financial investigation.end insert
Existing law provides for the establishment and operation of the Veterans’ Home of California at various sites for aged and disabled veterans who meet certain eligibility requirements. Existing law authorizes, prior to the admission of a veteran as a member of the home, and at any time during which the veteran is a member, the Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate the veteran’s financial status to ensure that the veteran is unable to pay for the necessary hospital or domiciliary care outside of the home, as provided.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would instead, prior to the admission of a veteran as a member of the home, require the department to investigate the veteran’s financial status to ensure that the veteran is unable to pay for the necessary hospital or domiciliary care outside of the home. This bill would authorize the department to promulgate and maintain regulations.
end insertExisting law establishes a Veterans’ Home of California at specified sites for aged and disabled veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces. Existing law requires veterans who served during a time of war to be given priority admission over those who served in a time of peace, and requires highest priority to be given to Medal of Honor recipients and former prisoners of war.
end deleteThis bill would instead require, on and after January 1, 2014, priority admission to be given first to Medal of Honor recipients and former prisoners of war, then to veterans whose financial status makes them unable to pay for necessary hospital or domiciliary care, and then to veterans who served during a time of war.
end deleteVote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
begin insertSection 1012.1 of the end insertbegin insertMilitary and Veterans Codeend insert
2begin insert is amended to read:end insert
begin insert(a)end insertbegin insert end insert Prior to the admission of a veteran as a member
4of the home,begin delete and at any time during which a veteran is a member the department
5of the home,end deletebegin delete mayend deletebegin insert shallend insert investigate thebegin delete veterans’end delete
6begin insert
veteran’send insert financial status tobegin delete insureend deletebegin insert ensureend insert that the veteran is unable
7to pay for necessary hospital or domiciliary care outside of the
8home.begin delete The department may contract with any other state agency
9to conduct such an investigation in its behalf.end delete
10(b) The department may at any time during which a veteran is
11a member of the home investigate the veteran’s financial status to
12ensure that the veteran is unable to pay for necessary hospital or
13domiciliary care outside of the home.
14(c) The department may contract with any other state agency
15to conduct any investigation on its behalf.
16(d) The department may promulgate regulations to implement
17this section.
Section 1012 of the Military and Veterans Code
19 is amended to read:
(a) Except as provided in Section 1012.4, the home is
21for aged and disabled persons who served in the Armed Forces of
22the United States of America who were discharged or released
23from active duty under honorable conditions from service, who
24are eligible for hospitalization or domiciliary care in a veterans’
25facility in accordance with the rules and regulations of the United
26States Department of Veterans Affairs, and who are bona fide
27residents of this state at the time of application; and for the spouses
P3 1of these persons if all of the following conditions, as are applicable,
2are satisfied:
3(1) Space is available.
4(2) Joint residency will be in the best interests
of the home
5member, as determined by the administrator.
6(3) The spouse is a bona fide resident of this state at the time
7of application for admission to the home and either is married to,
8and has resided with, the home member for at least one year, or is
9the widow or widower of a recipient of the Medal of Honor or a
10former prisoner of war (POW).
11(4) The home member and spouse agree to pay the fees and
12charges for joint residency, or for a widow or widower, for the
13residency, that the administrator may establish.
14(b) (1) Veterans who qualify for benefits under this chapter due
15to service during a time of war shall be given priority over veterans
16who qualify due to service during a time of peace.
17(2) Veterans who qualify for benefits
under this chapter who
18are recipients of the Medal of Honor or who were prisoners of war
19(POWs) shall be given priority over all other qualified veterans,
20regardless of the level of care required.
21(3) This subdivision shall apply to veterans admitted to the home
22prior to January 1, 2014.
23(c) (1) Priority admission shall be given to veterans who qualify
24for benefits under this chapter in the following order:
25(A) First, to veterans who are recipients of the Medal of Honor
26or who were POWs.
27(B) Second, to veterans whose financial status makes them
28unable to pay for necessary hospital or domiciliary care.
29(C) Third, to veterans who served during a time of war.
30(2) This subdivision shall apply to veterans admitted to the home
31on and after January 1, 2014.
32(d) A resident spouse may continue residence after the veteran’s
33death.
34(e) The property of the home shall be used for this purpose.
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