[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 590 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 590

  To provide for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot 
 program to determine the effectiveness of contracting for the use of 
 private memory care facilities for veterans with Alzheimer's Disease.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 2, 2005

 Mr. Reynolds introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot 
 program to determine the effectiveness of contracting for the use of 
 private memory care facilities for veterans with Alzheimer's Disease.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM OF USE OF 
              PRIVATE MEMORY CARE FACILITIES FOR VETERANS WITH 
              ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

    (a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct 
a pilot program to determine the effectiveness of contracting with 
private memory care facilities to provide needed services for veterans 
suffering from Alzheimer's Disease as an alternative to the provision 
by the Secretary of inpatient care or home health care for such 
veterans.
    (b) Scope of Pilot Program.--(1) The pilot program shall be 
conducted through five medical centers of the Veterans Health 
Administration selected by the Secretary for such purpose.
    (2) The program shall be conducted during fiscal years 2005 and 
2006.
    (3) Under the pilot program, the Secretary may contract for 
services for eligible veterans from private memory care facilities. Any 
such contract shall be entered into in the same manner as applies to 
contracts under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code.
    (c) Report.--Upon the conclusion of the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report providing the results of 
the pilot program. The report shall be submitted not later than 90 days 
after the end of the pilot program. The Secretary shall include in the 
report the following:
            (1) The Secretary's assessment of the benefits to veterans 
        of the pilot program.
            (2) The Secretary's assessment of the effect of the pilot 
        program on the Department of Veterans Affairs, including the 
        effect on delivery of health care to veterans suffering from 
        Alzheimer's disease or related memory disorders.
            (3) Any other findings and conclusions of the Secretary 
        with respect to the pilot program.
            (4) Any recommendations of the Secretary for--
                    (A) continuation of the pilot program;
                    (B) extension of the pilot program to other service 
                regions or to all service regions of the Department of 
                Veterans Affairs; or
                    (C) for making the authority to enter into 
                contracts as described in subsection (b)(3) a permanent 
                authority under section 1703 of title 38, United States 
                Code.
    (d) Memory Care Facilities.--For purposes of this section, the term 
``memory care facility'' means a facility that provides specialized 
services and housing that are tailored to the individual needs of those 
suffering from Alzheimer's disease or related memory disorders.
                                 <all>