Rep. Clay Higgins Reintroduces The Long Term Care Veterans Choice Act

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, ranking Republican member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release:

Yesterday, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) reintroduced The Long Term Care Veterans Choice Act, H.R 1527. The legislation is also cosponsored by Vice Ranking Member Rep. Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.), Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R-Puerto Rico).

"I am grateful that Rep. Higgins has worked so hard on behalf of veterans, but specifically for those who utilize the Medical Foster Home program (MFH)," said Ranking Member Dr. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.). "As it stands, VA is not authorized to pay for the cost of MFHs, which results in veterans using their personal funds or other insurance if they choose to live in a MFH. This legislation would enable VA to pay for a MFH, thus allowing veterans to have the option to live in a more family-like setting. This is an important piece of legislation and I commend Rep. Higgins for his leadership on this."

"Many veterans prefer the non-institutional setting of a medical foster home, but the VA currently forces them to pay out of pocket," said Higgins. "Our legislation changes that and grants veterans additional flexibility over how they exercise their long-term care benefits through the VA. This is a common-sense alternative that provides veterans with quality caregiver services at a lower cost than nursing home care. I'm proud to reintroduce this legislation for the 116th Congress, and I'm thankful to have the support of Ranking Member Roe. Our bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support last year, and I'm hopeful that we can once again get this passed for my veteran brothers and sisters."

Background:

The Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) Medical Foster Home program (MFH), provides a non-institutional long-term care alternative for eligible veterans. Currently, VA does provide care team support to MFHs, but does not have the authority to pay for the cost of MFHs. As a result, veterans must use personal or other funding sources should they choose this alternative rather than nursing homes.This legislation would authorize VA, during a three-year period, to place into medical foster homes that meet VA standards up to 900 veterans for whom VA is currently required to provide nursing home care. For more information click here (https://republicans-veterans.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=2427-71721979). Read the bill here (https://republicans-veterans.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=2428-71721979).