BILL NUMBER: AB 1823	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Yamada

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2012

   An act to amend Section 1035.6 of the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1823, as introduced, Yamada. Veterans' homes: accounting for
charges.
   Under existing law, a member of a veterans' home is required to
pay fees and charges as determined by the Department of Veterans
Affairs. Existing law requires the administrator of the home to
provide each member with a quarterly statement or accounting of all
charges for the costs of care rendered to the member in excess of the
member fee, as defined.
   This bill would require the quarterly statement or accounting of
all charges to include information relating to payment of any
outstanding charges at the time of the veteran's death, including the
use of a deceased veteran's personal property or money for payment
of outstanding charges, and the terms and conditions upon which fees
and charges can be changed.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1035.6 of the Military and Veterans Code is
amended to read:
   1035.6.  (a) The administrator shall provide each member of the
home with a quarterly statement or accounting of all charges for the
costs of care rendered to the member in excess of the member fee, as
defined in subdivision (b). The quarterly statement or accounting of
charges shall  clearly indicate that the charges for the
excess costs of care are provided to the member for informational
purposes only.   include, in clear terms, all of the
following:  
   (1) A statement that the charges for the excess costs of care are
provided to the member for information purposes only.  
   (2) A statement that, if the veteran is a resident of the home at
the time of death, the home may use his or her money or personal
property that is in possession of the home for payment of
unreimbursed excess costs of care.  
   (3) A statement that advises the member to seek counsel from a
legal expert to protect his or her assets.  
   (4) The terms and conditions upon which the member's fees and
costs can be changed. 
   (b) "Costs of care in excess of the member fee" means all costs
that are not covered by the member contribution fee, including, but
not limited to, the unreimbursed costs of medical or dental services
rendered to the member, either by the home or under contract with the
home. The Department of Veterans Affairs shall promulgate
regulations specifying the costs that are in excess of the member
contribution fee and constitute the unreimbursed costs of care.