04/11/2000 03:15 PM House FIN

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 247(FIN)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to eligibility of certain persons who                                                                     
     receive veterans' benefits for longevity bonus                                                                             
     payments; and providing for an effective date."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MARIE  MARX, STAFF,  SENATOR LEMAN  spoke in  support of  the                                                                   
legislation  on  behalf of  the  sponsor. She  observed  that                                                                   
Senator  Leman was  contacted by  constituents regarding  the                                                                   
loss  of the  longevity bonus  to  veterans entering  nursing                                                                   
homes because their  stay in the nursing home  was being paid                                                                   
by  their  veteran's  benefits.  The  Division  of  Longevity                                                                   
Bonus' interpretation  of a private  source was the  cause of                                                                   
the problem.  "Private source"  is anything paid  directly by                                                                   
an individual. If  an individual's care is paid  by a private                                                                   
source they  are able  to keep  their longevity bonus  check.                                                                   
Senate Bill 247 restores the eligibility  of certain veterans                                                                   
who  are  being  cared  for  in   nursing  homes  to  receive                                                                   
longevity  bonus  payments. Veterans'  benefits  are  federal                                                                   
benefits earned by  those who have served our  country in the                                                                   
armed forces.  It is not  fair to include veterans'  benefits                                                                   
in the  same category as  needs-based state benefits  such as                                                                   
Medicaid, the  receipt of which  disqualifies a  nursing home                                                                   
patient  from   receiving  longevity   bonus  payments.   The                                                                   
longevity  bonus payments  are prospective  from the  time of                                                                   
re-qualification;   the  bill   is  not  retroactive.   Those                                                                   
veterans  disqualified  under   the  existing  statute  could                                                                   
reapply for  qualification for bonus payments  beginning July                                                                   
1, 2000.  Six veterans  are estimated to  be affected  by the                                                                   
bill and the estimated cost is $12 thousand dollars.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Williams MOVED to  report CSSB 247  (FIN) out                                                                   
of Committee with  the accompanying fiscal note.  There being                                                                   
NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CSSB  247 (FIN)  was REPORTED  out  of Committee  with a  "do                                                                   
pass" recommendation  and with  a fiscal  impact note  by the                                                                   
Department of Administration, published date 3/20/00.