,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cdjh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #e1     
#bjbj,ms4 ,sinema 7for herself and ,mrs4
 ,blackburn7 introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1       
,united ,states ,code1 to authorize the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to     
enter into contracts and agreements for 
the placement of veterans in            
non-,department medical foster homes for
 certain veterans who are unable to live
 independently4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,long-,term    
,care ,veterans ,choice ,act4  #b4      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
contract authority for placement of     
veterans in non-,department medical     
foster homes  7a7 ,authority ,section   
#agbj of title #ch1 ,united ,states     
,code1 is amended by adding at the end  
the following new subsection3  7h7 7#a7 
,during the three-year period beginning 

on ,october #a1 #bjbj1 and subject to   
paragraph 7#b71 at the request of a     
veteran for whom the ,secretary is      
required to provide nursing home care   
under section #agaj;,a of this title1   
the ,secretary may place the veteran in 
a medical foster home that meets        
,department standards1 at the expense of
 the ,united ,states1 pursuant to a     
contract1 agreement1 or other           
arrangement entered into between the    
,secretary and the medical foster home  
for such purpose4 ,a veteran who is     
placed in a medical foster home under   
this paragraph shall agree1 as a        
condition of such placement1 to accept  
home health services furnished by the   
,secretary under section #agag of this  
title4  7#b7 ,in any year1 not more than
 a daily average of #ijj veterans placed
 in a medical foster home1 whether      
placed before or after the date of the  
enactment of this subsection1 may have  
their care covered at the expense of the
 ,united ,states under paragraph 7#a74  

7#c7 ,in this subsection1 the term      
medical foster home means a home        
designed to provide non-institutional1  
long-term1 supportive care for veterans 
who are unable to live independently and
 prefer a family setting4  4  7b7       
,effective date ,subsection 7h7 of      
section #agbj of title #ch1 ,united     
,states ,code1 as added by subsection   
7a71 shall take effect on ,october #a1  
#bjbj4