I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3266 

To amend title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the 

program under such title relating to lifespan respite care. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 26, 2011 

Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself and Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act 

to reauthorize the program under such title relating to 

lifespan respite care. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lifespan Respite Care 

5 Reauthorization Act of 2011’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) There are an estimated 62,000,000 family 

9 caregivers nationwide that provide care for loved 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3266 IH

1 ones with chronic, disabling health conditions across 

2 the lifespan. 

3 (2) The economic value of uncompensated fam4 ily caregiving to the United States economy was esti5 mated at $450,000,000,000 in 2009, more than 

6 total Medicaid spending of $366,000,000,000, in7 cluding both Federal and State contributions for 

8 medical and long-term care in the same year. 

9 (3) While caring for the aging population re10 mains a growing concern, more than half of care re11 cipients are under age 75, and almost one-third are 

12 under age 50. 

13 (4) Respite provides temporary relief to care14 givers from the ongoing responsibility of caring for 

15 individuals of all ages with special needs. 

16 (5) Respite care is the most frequently re17 quested family support service. 

18 (6) Respite has been shown to provide family 

19 caregivers with the relief necessary to maintain their 

20 own health, balance work and family, bolster family 

21 stability, keep marriages intact, and avoid or delay 

22 more costly nursing home or foster care placements. 

23 (7) Delaying nursing home, institutional, or fos24 ter care placement of just one individual for several 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3266 IH

1 months can save Medicaid, child welfare, or other 

2 government programs tens of thousands of dollars. 

3 (8) The Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 was 

4 originally enacted to improve the delivery and qual5 ity of respite care services available to families 

6 across all age and disability groups by establishing 

7 coordinated lifespan respite systems. 

8 (9) Twenty-nine States and the District of Co9 lumbia have received grants under the Lifespan Res10 pite Care Act of 2006 to improve the availability and 

11 quality of respite services across the lifespan. 

12 (10) For the Nation’s wounded service members 

13 and veterans with traumatic brain injuries and other 

14 conditions, respite systems could be an integral life15 line for families in their new roles as life long family 

16 caregivers. 

17 (11) The Department of Veterans Affairs and 

18 Congress have both acknowledged the unique chal19 lenges facing caregivers of returning service mem20 bers and veterans, as well as the need for increased 

21 caregiver services. 

22 (12) Only 15 percent of caregivers caring for 

23 veterans have received respite services from the Vet24 erans Administration or some other community or25 ganization in 2010. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3266 IH

1 (13) The increased utilization of, and costs to, 

2 long-term care systems requires the continued devel3 opment of coordinated family support services like 

4 lifespan respite care. 

5 SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF LIFESPAN RESPITE CARE 

6 PROGRAM. 

7 Section 2905 of the Public Health Service Act (42 

8 U.S.C. 300ii–4) is amended— 

9 (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

10 end; 

11 (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at 

12 the end and inserting a semicolon; and 

13 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘(6) $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2012; 

15 ‘‘(7) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; 

16 ‘‘(8) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2014; 

17 ‘‘(9) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2015; and 

18 ‘‘(10) $17,500,000 for fiscal year 2016.’’. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS