HF 2553 (LSB 6638YH (4) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2553

BY  A. MEYER

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a pilot program in the department of health and human services to refurbish and recondition durable medical equipment purchased under the medical assistance program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  249A.5  Durable medical equipment reconditioning and refurbishment —— pilot program.
   1.  A Medicaid durable medical equipment reconditioning and refurbishment pilot program is established within the department. The department shall develop and administer the pilot program as follows:
   a.  The department shall coordinate the pilot program with the local affiliate of a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides essential services to children and adults with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and the families of children and adults with disabilities, older adults, and veterans.
   b.  The department shall establish a process to track each item of durable medical equipment purchased under the medical assistance program and provided to a recipient. The department shall institute an informational campaign that upon delivery to a recipient of an item of durable medical equipment, the recipient and the recipient’s caregivers are clearly informed that upon the death of, or because of a change in the health status of, the recipient, the item of durable medical equipment is no longer necessary, and the recipient or the recipient’s caregiver must contact the local affiliate of the national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization described in paragraph “a” to schedule pick up of the item of durable medical equipment.
   c.  After the local affiliate of the national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization described in paragraph “a” picks up an item of durable medical equipment, the local affiliate shall arrange for the reconditioning or refurbishing of the item of durable medical equipment. After reconditioning or refurbishment, the item of durable medical equipment shall be placed in the local affiliate’s inventory, and shall be made available free of charge to a recipient who is in need of the refurbished or reconditioned item of durable medical equipment.
   2.  Annually, on or before October 31, the director of health and human services shall submit a report to the general assembly regarding the status of the pilot program and must include the following information for the immediately preceding fiscal year:
   a.  The total number, and type, of items of durable medical equipment purchased under the medical assistance program and provided to a recipient.
   b.  The total number, and type, of items of durable medical equipment purchased under the medical assistance program, provided to a recipient, and picked up by a local affiliate of the national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization described in subsection 1, paragraph “a”.
   c.  The total number, and type, of items of durable medical equipment purchased under the medical assistance program, provided to a recipient, and refurbished or reconditioned by a local affiliate of a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization described in subsection 1, paragraph “a”.
   d.  The total number, and type, of items of durable medical equipment purchased under the medical assistance program, provided to a recipient, refurbished or reconditioned by a local affiliate of a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization described in subsection 1, paragraph “a”, and made available free of charge to a recipient who is in need of the refurbished or reconditioned item of durable medical equipment.
   e.  The total number, and type, of items of refurbished or reconditioned durable medical equipment currently in the inventory of the local affiliate of a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization described in subsection 1, paragraph “a”.
   f.  The aggregate cost of the pilot program.
   3.  This section is repealed July 1, 2030.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a pilot program in the department of health and human services (HHS) to refurbish and recondition durable medical equipment (DME) purchased under the medical assistance program (program).
   The bill directs HHS to develop and administer the pilot program by coordinating the pilot program with the local affiliate of a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides essential services to children and adults with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and the families of children and adults with disabilities, older adults, and veterans (local affiliate).
   HHS shall establish a process to track each item of DME purchased under the program and provided to a recipient under the program (recipient). The department shall institute an informational campaign that upon delivery to a recipient of an item of DME, the recipient and the recipient’s caregivers are clearly informed that upon the death of, or because of a change in health status of, the recipient, the item of DME is no longer necessary, and the recipient or the recipient’s caregiver must contact the local affiliate to schedule pick up of the item of DME. After the local affiliate picks up an item of DME, the local affiliate must arrange to have the item of DME reconditioned or refurbished, place it in the local affiliate’s inventory, and make it available free of charge to a recipient who is in need of the refurbished or reconditioned item of DME.
   Annually, on or before October 31, the director of HHS shall submit a report to the general assembly regarding the status of the pilot program and must include the information detailed in the bill for the immediately preceding fiscal year.
   The pilot program is repealed July 1, 2030.