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Panel OKs Bill to End Co-payments for Veterans’ Hospice Care
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By Patrick Yoest
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CQ Today, June 28th, 2007
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The House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee approved a bill Thursday that would eliminate co-payments for veterans’ hospice care, but members delayed action on a broader health-care measure.
The subcommittee approved the hospice care bill (H.R. 2623) by voice vote, and the full committee will consider the measure on July 11. The bill, sponsored by Florida Republican Jeff Miller, would waive a co-payment requirement for veterans receiving hospice care at home or at a facility other than a Veterans Affairs’ Department nursing home.
While that bill was non-controversial, the broader health measure came under immediate fire from Miller and drew questions from other members as well.
The second bill (H.R. 2874), sponsored by subcommittee Chairman Michael H. Michaud, D-ME, would authorize an array of new programs for homeless veterans and those with mental health problems. Among them were a grant program for therapeutic readjustment services for veterans and a peer support program aimed specifically at National Guard and Reserve veterans.
The bill also would authorize $3 million to transport veterans living in rural areas to nearby VA health care facilities.
Democrats including Vic Snyder of Arkansas and Shelley Berkley of Nevada questioned whether the bill was ready for a vote Thursday, leading Michaud to delay consideration of the measure until a later date.
Snyder expressed concern that some wording in the bill was too vague and could lead the VA to provide grant funding for frivolous programs. Under the bill as written, “I could barbecue a pig on a Saturday afternoon and call it a workshop,” Snyder said.
Miller complained that the bill would arbitrarily scrap a program that allocates per diem payments to organizations providing care for homeless veterans, and he also posed questions about the proposed new program to provide mental health care specifically to National Guard and Reserve veterans.
Miller had prepared several amendments but withdrew them when it became clear that a vote would not occur on the bill.
Michaud said the subcommittee would probably consider a revised version of the bill on July 10, a day ahead of the full committee markup.
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