View from the hill.SIGNED INTO LAW Bill: H.R. 2673 Title: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 Summary: A spending bill was approved by President Bush on Jan. 23, 2004 that includes $698 million for senior housing capital advances, project rental assistance contracts, amendments and renewals, with $25 million slated for assisted living as·sist·ed living n. A living arrangement in which people with special needs, especially older people with disabilities, reside in a facility that provides help with everyday tasks such as bathing, dressing, and taking medication. conversions. It also renews $17.53 billion in project-based Section 8 contracts for rental subsidies that help preserve low-income housing for seniors. The bill also includes essential funding for Older Americans Act (OAA OAA Older Americans Act OAA Ontario Association of Architects OAA Open Agent Architecture OAA Old Age Assistance OAA Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association OAA Office of Academic Affiliations (Department of Veterans Affairs) ) programs that enable people to age in place, receiving whatever services they need in the most appropriate setting. Sponsor: Rep. Henry Bonilla Henry Bonilla (born January 2, 1954) is a former congressman who represented Texas's 23rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He was defeated in his bid for re-election by Ciro Davis Rodriguez, a former Democratic member of Congress, in a special , R-Texas. PENDING LEGISLATION Long Term Care Bill: H.R. 3513 Title: Elder Fall Prevention Act of 2003 Summary: Amends the Public Health Service Act. Directs the Department of Heath and Human Services' Administration on Aging The Administration on Aging (AoA) is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. AoA awards annual grants (computed by formulas) to State government agencies on aging and Native American tribal organizations to support programs mandated by the Congress to oversee a three-year national education campaign by the National Safety Council that focuses on ways to reduce the risk of elder falls and prevent repeat falls. Sponsors: Reps. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., Jesse Jackson. D-III. Status: Referred to the House Subcommittee on Health Bill: H.R. 3656 Title: Quality Nursing Care Act of 2004 Summary: Amends the Social Security Act to impose minimum nurse staffing ratios in Medicare participating hospitals and long term care facilities. Each participating facility shall adopt and implement a staffing system that ensures a number of registered nurses on each shift and in each unit of the hospital to ensure appropriate staffing levels for patient care. Staffing levels are to be recommended by specialty nursing organizations. Sponsor: Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif. Status: Referred to the House Subcommittee on Health. Adult Day Care Bill: S. 2072 Title: Senior Elder Care Relief and Empowerment (SECURE) Act Summary: Amends the Internal Revenue Code The Internal Revenue Code is the body of law that codifies all federal tax laws, including income, estate, gift, excise, alcohol, tobacco, and employment taxes. These laws constitute title 26 of the U.S. Code (26 U.S.C.A. § 1 et seq. of 1986 to allow a nonrefundable tax credit for adult day care expenses. Qualifying individuals--chronically ill senior citizens age 65 or older or their spouses or immediate families--may deduct up to 50 percent of their related out-of-pocket expenses out-of-pocket expenses n. moneys paid directly for necessary items by a contractor, trustee, executor, administrator or any person responsible to cover expenses not detailed by agreement. after the first $1,000. Sponsor: Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho. Status: Read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance. Bill: S. 2029 Title: Long Term Care Gross Income Adjustment Act Summary: Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction from gross income for adult day and respite care Respite Care Short-term or temporary care of a few hours or weeks of the sick or disabled to provide relief, or respite, to the regular caregiver, usually a family member. Notes: expenses of individual taxpayers with respect to a dependent of the taxpayer who suffers from Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (ăls`hī'mərz, ôls–), degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. or related organic brain disorders Organic brain disorder An organic brain disorder refers to impaired brain function due to damage or deterioration of brain tissue. Mentioned in: Mental Status Examination . Sponsor: Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. Status: Read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance. Alzheimer's Disease/Dementia Bill: H.R. 3451 Title: Alzheimer's Treatment and Caregiver Support Act Summary: Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants for treatment and support services support services Psychology Non-health care-related ancillary services–eg, transportation, financial aid, support groups, homemaker services, respite services, and other services for Alzheimer's patients and their families. Sponsors: Reps. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; Nell Abercrombie, D-Hawaii; Anibal Acevedo-Vila, D-PR.; Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y.; Spencer Bachus, R-Ala.; Howard Berman, D-Calif.; Corrine Brown, D-Fla.; 22 others. Status: Referred to the House Subcommittee on Health. Bill: H.R. 3671 Title: Medicare Prescription Drug prescription drug Prescription medication Pharmacology An FDA-approved drug which must, by federal law or regulation, be dispensed only pursuant to a prescription–eg, finished dose form and active ingredients subject to the provisos of the Federal Food, Drug, , Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 Summary: Amends the Social Security Act to permit the Secretary of Health and Human Services Noun 1. Secretary of Health and Human Services - the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Health and Human Services; "the first Secretary of Health and Human Services was Patricia Roberts Harris who was appointed by Carter" to enter into direct negotiations between drug manufacturers and pharmacies, and between Medicare prescription drug plan sponsors and Medicare Advantage organizations offering prescription drug plans, to promote best prices for Medicare beneficiaries. Related to bills S. 1994 and H.R. 3672. Sponsors: Reps. Peter Deutsch, D-Fla.; Corrine Brown, D-Fla.; Jo Ann Davis This article is about a recently deceased person. Some information, such as the circumstances of the person's death and surrounding events, may change rapidly as more facts become known. , R-Va.; Alcee Hastings, D-Fla.; and Robert Wexler, D-Fla. Status: Referred to House Subcommittee on Health. Bill: H.R. 3672 Title: Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (Pub.L. 108-173, 117 Stat. 2066, also called Medicare Modernization Act or MMA) is a law of the United States which was enacted in 2003. of 2003. Summary: Amends the Social Security Act to provide for negotiation of fair prices for Medicare prescription drugs. Related to bills S. 1994 and H.R. 3671. Sponsor: Reps. Chet Edwards, D-Texas; Gary Ackerman, D-NY.; Brian Baird, D-Wash.; Frank Ballance, D-N.C.; Chris Bell, D-Texas; Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ariz.; 71 others. Status: Referred to the House Subcommittee on Health. Phamacy/Drug Management Bill: H.R. 1994 Title: Efficiency in Government Health Care Spending Act Summary: Amends the Social Security Act. Eliminates language that prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating prices for prescription drugs furnished under the Medicare program. Related to bills H.R. 3671 and H.R. 3672. Sponsor: Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis. Status: Referred to the Senate Committee on Finance. Editor's Note. The following bills pertaining to issues affecting the long term care industry were making their way through Congress as of Feb. 13, 2003. Bills listed in last month's issue that do not appear here have seen no new action taken. |
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