Senate File 257 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY KAPUCIAN
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to prescription drug coverage for health care
2 facility residents eligible for federal veterans affairs
3 benefits.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 135C.31A, Code 2009, is amended to read
1 2 as follows:
1 3 135C.31A ASSESSMENT OF RESIDENTS == PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY ==
1 4 PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE.
1 5 1. A health care facility receiving reimbursement through
1 6 the medical assistance program under chapter 249A shall assist
1 7 the Iowa department of veterans affairs in identifying, upon
1 8 admission of a resident, the resident's eligibility for
1 9 benefits through the United States department of veterans
1 10 affairs. The department of inspections and appeals, in
1 11 cooperation with the department of human services, shall adopt
1 12 rules to administer this section, including a provision that
1 13 ensures that if a resident is eligible for benefits through
1 14 the United States department of veterans affairs or other
1 15 third=party payor, the payor of last resort for reimbursement
1 16 to the health care facility is the medical assistance program.
1 17 The rules shall also require the health care facility to
1 18 request information from a resident or resident's personal
1 19 representative regarding the resident's veteran status and to
1 20 report to the Iowa department of veterans affairs only the
1 21 names of residents identified as potential veterans along with
1 22 the names of their spouses and any dependents. Information
1 23 reported by the health care facility shall be verified by the
1 24 Iowa department of veterans affairs. This section shall not
1 25 apply to the admission of an individual to a state mental
1 26 health institute for acute psychiatric care or to the
1 27 admission of an individual to the Iowa veterans home.
1 28 2. a. If a resident is identified, upon admission to a
1 29 health care facility, as eligible for benefits through the
1 30 United States department of veterans affairs pursuant to
1 31 subsection 1 or through other means, the health care facility
1 32 shall allow the resident to access any prescription drug
1 33 benefit included in such benefits for which the resident is
1 34 also eligible. The health care facility shall also assist the
1 35 Iowa department of veterans affairs in identifying individuals
2 1 residing in such health care facilities on July 1, 2009, who
2 2 are eligible for the prescription drug benefit.
2 3 b. The department of inspections and appeals, the
2 4 department of veterans affairs, and the department of human
2 5 services shall identify any barriers to residents in accessing
2 6 such prescription drug benefits and shall assist health care
2 7 facilities in adjusting their procedures for medication
2 8 administration to comply with this subsection.
2 9 EXPLANATION
2 10 This bill directs health care facilities, with the
2 11 exceptions of a state mental health institute for acute
2 12 psychiatric care and the Iowa veterans home, to allow a
2 13 resident identified as eligible for benefits through the
2 14 United States department of veterans affairs (VA), upon
2 15 admission to the health care facility or by other means,
2 16 access to the prescription drug benefit included in such
2 17 benefits for which the resident is also eligible. This
2 18 requirement also applies to individuals already residing in a
2 19 health care facility on July 1, 2009. The bill directs the
2 20 departments of inspections and appeals, veterans affairs, and
2 21 human services to identify any barriers to residents in
2 22 accessing the prescription drug benefit and to assist health
2 23 care facilities in adjusting their procedures for medication
2 24 administration to comply with the requirements of the bill.
2 25 Prescription drugs provided through the VA are generally
2 26 provided in prescription bottles, while health care facilities
2 27 generally dispense prescription drugs from blister packs in
2 28 order to ensure safe medication distribution. Because of the
2 29 conflict between these established procedures, health care
2 30 residents who are eligible for prescription drug benefits
2 31 through the VA may be precluded from accessing these benefits.
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