HB 350: "An Act relating to Alaska Pioneers' Homes and Alaska Veterans' Homes; and relating to the duties of the Department of Health and Social Services."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 350 01 "An Act relating to Alaska Pioneers' Homes and Alaska Veterans' Homes; and relating 02 to the duties of the Department of Health and Social Services." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 47.05.080(a) is repealed and reenacted to read: 05 (a) Except for overpayments recovered under AS 47.07 that cover the value of 06 services paid from federal sources, benefit overpayments collected by the department 07 in administering the following programs shall be remitted to the Department of 08 Revenue under AS 37.10.050(a): 09 (1) AS 47.07 (medical assistance); 10 (2) AS 47.25.120 - 47.25.300 (general relief assistance program); 11 (3) AS 47.25.430 - 47.25.615 (adult public assistance); 12 (4) AS 47.25.975 - 47.25.990 (food stamp program); 13 (5) AS 47.27 (Alaska temporary assistance program); 14 (6) AS 47.45.020(c) and (d) (payments and payment assistance for a
01 person admitted to the Alaska Pioneers' Home or the Alaska Veterans' Home). 02 * Sec. 2. AS 47.55.010(c) is amended to read: 03 (c) The department shall 04 (1) cooperate with the federal government in matters pertaining to the 05 welfare of Alaska pioneers and of veterans who reside in the homes operated under 06 this chapter, make the reports in the form and containing the information the federal 07 government from time to time desires, and accept money and prescription drug 08 benefits allotted by the federal government, its agencies, or its instrumentalities in 09 establishing, extending, and strengthening services for pioneers and veterans who 10 reside in a home operated under this chapter; 11 (2) adopt regulations necessary to conduct business and to carry out 12 the provisions of this chapter, require bonds and undertakings from persons employed 13 by a home as in its judgment are necessary, and pay the premiums on them, and 14 establish regional and local offices and the advisory groups that are necessary or 15 considered expedient to carry out or assist in carrying out a duty or authority assigned 16 to it; 17 (3) perform all executive or administrative duties necessary and 18 advisable to carry out the purpose of this chapter, including the power to make 19 contracts and to make disbursements on vouchers against appropriations for the 20 purpose of this chapter, within the limit of appropriations available; 21 (4) study the needs of pioneers and veterans of this state who reside in 22 the homes operated under this chapter and submit recommendations for new 23 regulations and proposed legislation; 24 (5) manage all billing functions for the homes operated under this 25 chapter through a centralized system; 26 (6) starting in 2016, and every four years thereafter, review 27 staffing levels at homes operated under this chapter to identify ways to reduce 28 staff to resident ratios to a ratio consistent with other state-operated assisted 29 living facilities; in the review required under this paragraph, the department 30 shall take into account variations in care models at assisted living facilities and 31 homes operated under this chapter;
01 (7) starting in 2016, and every four years thereafter, review the 02 monthly cost of providing care for each resident, including administrative costs, 03 costs for maintenance staff, travel costs, and other expenses; the department shall 04 use the review to identify opportunities to reduce waste and inefficiencies; 05 (8) identify and explore opportunities to reduce costs by sharing 06 administrative functions with other state-operated facilities, including juvenile 07 facilities and the Alaska Psychiatric Institute; 08 (9) annually, on or before the first Monday in January, deliver a 09 report to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives 10 and notify the legislature that the report is available; the report must describe 11 (A) the department's reviews and efforts to reduce costs 12 under (5) - (8) of this subsection; 13 (B) revenue received through leases under (e) of this 14 section; 15 (C) efforts to recover overpayments; 16 (D) revenue received from application fees and deposits 17 under AS 47.55.030(f); 18 (E) efforts to pursue payment from private sources under 19 AS 47.55.075; and 20 (F) actions taken to comply with audits conducted by the 21 division of legislative audit. 22 * Sec. 3. AS 47.55.010(e) is amended to read: 23 (e) The department may engage in activities directed to increase revenue from 24 a home. These activities may include the lease of excess bed or floor space, up to 50 25 percent of the total floor space in a home, or lease of space or buildings that are not in 26 use or are underutilized. The department may only lease space in a home or a 27 building if the department 28 (1) negotiates the lease in coordination with the Department of 29 Administration; and 30 (2) charges a rate that covers, at a minimum, the cost of general 31 maintenance, utilities, and janitorial services for the leased space or building.
01 * Sec. 4. AS 47.55.020(e) is amended to read: 02 (e) As a condition for receipt of payment assistance under (d) of this section, 03 the department, under regulations adopted by the department, shall [MAY] require a 04 person to apply for other state or federally sponsored programs that may reduce the 05 amount of the payment assistance. The department shall require the person to 06 submit to the department a copy of the person's application for medical 07 assistance coverage under AS 47.07 and the decision letter the person receives 08 regarding the application. 09 * Sec. 5. AS 47.55.030(a) is amended to read: 10 (a) A person eligible for admission under AS 47.55.020 may, on application, 11 be admitted to the Alaska Pioneers' Home or the Alaska Veterans' Home upon the 12 person's agreement to pay to the state each month an amount the department considers 13 sufficient to compensate the state for the cost of care and support of the person at the 14 home. When this agreement is entered into, the department may require security for 15 the payments and shall require the person to disclose information relating to any 16 private insurance or life insurance policy that may cover the cost of care. 17 * Sec. 6. AS 47.55.030 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 18 (f) The department shall require applicants to pay a fee to apply for admission 19 to a home, and a deposit to remain on an active or inactive waiting list for admission 20 to a home. The department shall adopt regulations establishing the fees and deposits 21 and a procedure to allow a person who meets eligibility criteria established by the 22 department to apply for a waiver of the fee or deposit required under this subsection. 23 * Sec. 7. AS 47.55 is amended by adding a new section to read: 24 Sec. 47.55.075. Private payments. The department shall, in addition to 25 pursuing recovery and enforcement of claims under AS 47.55.070 - 47.55.095, 26 aggressively pursue payment from private insurance to cover the cost of caring for a 27 resident of a home.