Senate Study Bill 1272




                                      SENATE FILE       
                                      BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HUMAN
                                           RESOURCES BILL BY
                                           CO=CHAIRPERSON RAGAN)


       Passed Senate, Date               Passed House  Date             
       Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                    Approved                            

                                         A BILL FOR

     1 An Act relating to the long=term living system in Iowa including
     2    establishment of the intent for Iowa's long=term living
     3    system.
     4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
     5 TLSB 3254SC 81
     6 pf/pj/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  231E.1  INTENT FOR IOWA'S LONG=
  1  2 TERM LIVING SYSTEM.
  1  3    1.  The general assembly finds and declares that the intent
  1  4 for Iowa's long=term living system is to ensure all Iowans
  1  5 access to an extensive range of high=quality, affordable, and
  1  6 cost=effective long=term living options that maximize
  1  7 independence, choice, and dignity for consumers.
  1  8    2.  The long=term living system should be comprehensive,
  1  9 offering multiple services and support in home, community=
  1 10 based, and facility=based settings; should utilize a universal
  1 11 assessment process to ensure that such services and support
  1 12 are delivered in the most integrated and life=enhancing
  1 13 setting; and should ensure that such services and support are
  1 14 provided by a well=trained, motivated workforce.
  1 15    3.  The long=term living system should exist in a
  1 16 regulatory climate that appropriately ensures the health,
  1 17 safety, and welfare of consumers, while not being overly
  1 18 restrictive or inflexible.
  1 19    4.  The long=term living system should sustain existing
  1 20 informal care systems including family, friends, volunteers,
  1 21 and community resources; should encourage innovation through
  1 22 the use of technology and new delivery and financing models,
  1 23 including housing; should provide incentives to consumers for
  1 24 private financing of long=term living services and support;
  1 25 and should allow Iowans to live independently as long as they
  1 26 desire.
  1 27    5.  Information regarding all components of the long=term
  1 28 living system should be effectively communicated to all
  1 29 persons potentially impacted by the need for long=term living
  1 30 services and support in order to empower consumers to plan,
  1 31 evaluate, and make decisions about how best to meet their own
  1 32 long=term living needs.
  1 33    Sec. 2.  LONG=TERM LIVING == PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES.
  1 34    1.  The department of human services, the department of
  1 35 elder affairs, and the Iowa department of public health shall
  2  1 work together to coordinate efforts to provide access to
  2  2 sufficient informational and educational resources to assist
  2  3 individuals in making informed choices to address their long=
  2  4 term living needs.
  2  5    2.  The department of human services, the department of
  2  6 elder affairs, and the Iowa department of public health shall
  2  7 submit a plan to the governor and the general assembly no
  2  8 later than October 1, 2005, specifying all of the following:
  2  9    a.  The various assessment tools utilized for programs and
  2 10 services under the purview of each department and any
  2 11 recommendations for combining such tools.
  2 12    b.  Recommendations for coordinating state efforts to
  2 13 provide access to informational and educational resources to
  2 14 assist individuals in making informed choices to address their
  2 15 long=term living needs.
  2 16                           EXPLANATION
  2 17    This bill establishes a state intent for the long=term
  2 18 living system in Iowa.  The system is to ensure all Iowans
  2 19 access to an extensive range of high=quality, affordable, and
  2 20 cost=effective long=term living options that maximize
  2 21 independence, choice, and dignity.  The system is to be
  2 22 comprehensive, utilize a universal assessment process, and
  2 23 ensure that services and support are provided by a well=
  2 24 trained, motivated workforce.  The bill directs that the long=
  2 25 term living system exist in a regulatory climate that
  2 26 appropriately ensures the health, safety, and welfare of
  2 27 consumers, while not being overly restrictive or inflexible.
  2 28 The bill provides that the system should sustain existing
  2 29 informal care systems, encourage innovation, provide
  2 30 incentives to consumers for private financing of long=term
  2 31 living services and support, and allow Iowans to live
  2 32 independently as long as they desire.  The bill directs that
  2 33 information regarding all components of the long=term living
  2 34 system should be effectively communicated to all persons
  2 35 potentially impacted by the need for long=term living services
  3  1 and support in order to empower consumers to plan, evaluate,
  3  2 and make decisions about how best to meet their own long=term
  3  3 living needs.
  3  4    The bill directs the department of human services, the
  3  5 department of elder affairs, and the Iowa department of public
  3  6 health to work together to coordinate efforts to provide
  3  7 access to sufficient informational and educational resources
  3  8 to assist individuals in making informed choices to address
  3  9 their long=term care needs.  The bill also directs these
  3 10 departments to submit a plan to the governor and the general
  3 11 assembly no later than October 1, 2005, specifying the various
  3 12 assessment tools utilized for programs and services under the
  3 13 purview of each department and any recommendations for
  3 14 combining such tools, and recommendations for coordinating
  3 15 state efforts to provide access to informational and
  3 16 educational resources to assist individuals in making informed
  3 17 choices to address their long=term living needs.
  3 18 LSB 3254SC 81
  3 19 pf:nh/pj/5