BILL NUMBER: AB 557	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  JULY 8, 2013
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 8, 2013
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 20, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Yamada

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

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


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 557, Yamada. Veterans' homes: accounting of 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. Existing law requires the quarterly
statement or accounting to include, among other things, 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 the
possession of the home for payment of unreimbursed costs of care.
   This bill would require the statement contained in the quarterly
statement or accounting described above to also specify that the home
may use the deceased veteran's money or personal property that is
outside the home for payment of unreimbursed costs of care. This bill
would require the quarterly statement or accounting and any notice
relating to quarterly statements posted in any veterans' home to be
in 14-point font or larger.


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 include, in plain, straightforward language, avoiding
technical terms as much as possible and using a coherent and easily
readable style, all of the following:
   (1) A statement that the charges for the excess costs of care are
provided to the member for informational 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 or outside the home for
payment of unreimbursed costs of care.
   (3) A statement that advises the member to seek counsel from a
legal expert to protect his or her assets.
   (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.
   (c) The quarterly statement or accounting described in subdivision
(a) and any notice relating to quarterly statements posted in any
veterans' home shall be in 14-point font or larger.