Bill > S3532

This bill, titled the State Veterans Homes Inspection Simplification Act, aims to streamline the inspection and certification process for State Veterans Homes, which are facilities providing care to veterans. Currently, these homes must meet standards set by both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to receive payments under Medicare and Medicaid, the federal health insurance programs for the elderly and low-income individuals, respectively. The bill amends titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act, which govern Medicare and Medicaid. Specifically, it allows State Veterans Homes that are inspected and certified by the VA to be "deemed" to meet certain Medicare and Medicaid requirements, meaning they wouldn't need a separate inspection by CMS for those specific requirements. This "deeming" authority is contingent on the VA providing CMS with inspection data and regularly aligning its survey standards and procedures with Medicare's "Conditions of Participation," which are the basic health and safety requirements for facilities to be eligible for Medicare and Medicaid payments. The bill also clarifies that CMS can still conduct its own investigations, impose penalties, or revoke a home's deemed status if the VA's certification process is found to be inconsistent with federal standards. Furthermore, it requires that inspection data from VA-certified State Veterans Homes be made publicly available, potentially on the Nursing Home Care Compare website, and mandates coordination between CMS and the VA to harmonize their survey and data reporting processes for greater transparency and consistency.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3532/all-info