Veterans' Affairs Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ADMISSION OF VETERANS TO HOSPITALS AND THE APPLICATION OF MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING TO STATE LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS
SUMMARY: By law, mentally ill veterans and veterans needing medical or surgical care or treatment may be admitted to certain hospitals and receive necessary food, clothing, care, and treatment at the state's expense if they lack adequate means of support. This act requires hospitals to (1) ask patients, upon admission, if they are veterans and (2) before submitting a bill to the state for rendered services, take sufficient steps to determine that no other funds or means of payment are available to cover the cost of the services. It requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to make available to hospitals a list of payment options and benefits available to cover veterans' hospital costs.
The act applies to an incorporated hospital or tuberculosis sanatorium, chronic disease hospital, and mental hospital or training school for people with intellectual disabilities. A “veteran” is anyone honorably discharged from, or released under honorable conditions from, active service in the armed forces, who meets active military requirements.
The act makes a technical change to PA 14-131 regarding the public health commissioner issuing emergency medical technician certifications to applicants who are veterans or armed forces or National Guard members.
The act makes additional technical changes in the veterans' statutes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2014
OLR Tracking: DC: KD: VR: am