Improving Care for Veterans Act
Bill: S.3004 | Sponsor: Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. (D-GA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Improving Care for Veterans Act
This bill requires state homes that receive funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to have a governing body that is legally responsible for establishing and implementing policies regarding the management and operation of the home. A state home is a home established by a state for veterans who are disabled by age, disease, or otherwise and are incapable of earning a living because of such disability. The term also includes a home that furnishes nursing home care for veterans.
Additionally, the bill requires the VA to provide payments for states to assist state homes in the hiring and retention of infection preventionists.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish new requirements 
 for State homes for veterans that receive per diem from the Secretary 
              of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Care for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT THAT STATE HOMES FOR VETERANS HAVE GOVERNING BODIES 
              AND ADMINISTRATORS AND PAYMENTS TO ASSIST STATE HOMES IN 
              HIRING INFECTION PREVENTIONISTS.

    (a) Governing Bodies and Administrators.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter V of chapter 17 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1741 
        the following new section:
``Sec. 1741A. Administration requirements
    ``As a condition on the receipt of per diem payments under this 
subchapter, a State home shall--
            ``(1) have a governing body that--
                    ``(A) is legally responsible for establishing and 
                implementing policies regarding the management and 
                operation of the State home;
                    ``(B) consists of more than one person; and
                    ``(C) appoints an administrator or deputy 
                superintendent described in paragraph (2);
            ``(2) employ an administrator or deputy superintendent 
        who--
                    ``(A) is licensed by the State, if required by 
                State law; and
                    ``(B) meets standards established by the Secretary 
                of Health and Human Services under sections 1819(f)(4) 
                and 1919(f)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                1395i-3(f)(4), 1396r(f)(4));
            ``(3) employ an infection preventionist (as that term is 
        defined in section 1744A of this title); and
            ``(4) include in information submitted each year to the 
        Secretary--
                    ``(A) the name of the infection preventionist 
                employed under paragraph (3); and
                    ``(B) an emergency plan, updated annually, in case 
                of a public health emergency or other disaster.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such subchapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 1741 the following new item:

``1741A. Administration requirements.''.
    (b) Funding of Infection Preventionists.--
            (1) Establishment.--Such subchapter is further amended by 
        inserting after section 1744 the following new section:
``Sec. 1744A. Hiring and retention of infection preventionists: 
              payments to assist States
    ``(a) Payment Program.--The Secretary shall make payments to States 
under this section for the purpose of assisting State homes in the 
hiring and retention of infection preventionists.
    ``(b) Eligible Recipients.--Payments to a State for a fiscal year 
under this section shall, subject to submission of an application, be 
made to any State that during that fiscal year receives per diem 
payments under this subchapter for that fiscal year.
    ``(c) Limitations on Amount of Payment.--A payment under this 
section may not be used to provide more than 50 percent of the salary 
or wages for an infection preventionist for a fiscal year.
    ``(d) Applications.--(1) A payment under this section for any 
fiscal year with respect to any State home may only be made based upon 
an application submitted by the State seeking such payment with respect 
to that State home.
    ``(2) Each application under paragraph (1) shall describe the 
salary or wages of the infection preventionist.
    ``(e) Source of Funds.--Payments under this section shall be made 
from funds available for other payments under this subchapter.
    ``(f) Disbursement.--Payments under this section to a State home 
shall be made as part of the disbursement of payments under section 
1741 of this title with respect to that State home.
    ``(g) Use of Certain Receipts.--The Secretary shall require as a 
condition of any payment under this section that, in any case in which 
the State home receives a refund payment made by an employee in breach 
of the terms of an agreement for employee assistance that used funds 
provided under this section, the payment shall be returned to the 
incentive program account for the State home and credited as a non-
Federal funding source.
    ``(h) Annual Report.--(1) Any State home receiving a payment under 
this section for any fiscal year, shall, as a condition of the payment, 
be required to agree to provide to the Secretary a report setting forth 
in detail the use of funds received through the payment.
    ``(2)(A) Each report under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year shall be 
provided to the Secretary not later than 60 days after the end of the 
fiscal year and shall be subject to audit by the Secretary.
    ``(B) Eligibility for payment under this section for any fiscal 
year is contingent upon the receipt by the Secretary of the annual 
report under this subsection for the previous fiscal year in accordance 
with this subsection.
    ``(i) Regulations.--(1) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations 
to carry out this section.
    ``(2) Regulations required under paragraph (1) shall include the 
establishment of criteria for the award of payments under this section.
    ``(j) Infection Preventionist Defined.--In this section, the term 
`infection preventionist', with respect to a State home, means an 
individual--
            ``(1) who has primary professional training in nursing, 
        medical technology, microbiology, epidemiology, or a related 
        field;
            ``(2) whom the Secretary determines is qualified by 
        education, training, experience, or certification;
            ``(3) who works at least part-time at the State home; and
            ``(4) who has completed specialized training in infection 
        prevention and control.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such subchapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 1744 the following new item:

``1744A. Hiring and retention of infection preventionists: payments to 
                            assist States.''.
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