Current through September 24, 2024
Per diem will be paid for a bed hold only if the qualified
veteran has established residency by being in the facility for 30 consecutive
days (including overnight stays) and the facility has an occupancy rate of 90
percent or greater. In addition, per diem for a bed hold will be paid only for
the first ten (10) consecutive overnight absences at a VA or other hospital
(this could occur more than once in a calendar year) and for the first twelve
(12) other types of overnight absences (pass) in a calendar year.
A. Hospitalization
(1) If the veteran has not established
residency by being in the facility for thirty (30) consecutive days (including
overnight stays) prior to hospitalization, the veteran will pay the current
daily resident charge for up to fourteen (14) consecutive overnight absences at
a VA or other hospital in order for the veterans bed to be held at the Veterans
Nursing Home.
(2) If the veteran
has established the thirty (30) day residency, then the veteran will pay the
current daily resident charge for up to ten (10) consecutive overnight absences
at a VA or other hospital in order for the veterans bed to be held at the Home.
However, if the veteran is rated as in need of nursing home care for a VA
adjudicated service-connected disability; or the veteran has a singular or
combined service connected rating of seventy percent (70%) or more based on one
or more service-connected disabilities or a rating of total (100%) disability
based on individual unemployability, the veteran will not have a charge to hold
his bed at the Home for the first ten (10) consecutive overnight absences at a
VA or other hospital.
(3) If the
veteran has established the thirty (30) day residency, but the hospitalization
exceeds ten (10) consecutive overnight absences at a VA or hospital, a veteran
who has a singular or combined service connected rating of seventy percent
(70%) or more based on one or more service-connected disabilities or a rating
of total (100%) disability based on individual unemployability must pay a bed
hold rate consisting of a combination of the current daily resident charge and
the current VA daily per diem reimbursement rate. All other veterans will
continue to pay only the current resident daily rate.
(4) However, any resident who is hospitalized
for more than 14 consecutive days shall be discharged from the facility. The
resident will remain responsible for charges set forth in preceding paragraphs
until the actual date of discharge from the veterans home. Upon discharge from
the hospital, the resident will be given priority placement within the Veterans
Nursing Homes.
B.
Voluntary Pass Other Than Hospitalization. If the resident is on pass other
than for hospitalization, the bed will be held for the resident as follows:
(1) If the veteran has not established
residency by being in the Home for thirty (30) consecutive days (including
overnight stays) prior to being on voluntary pass, the veteran is responsible
for payment of regular daily resident's charge for each day on pass plus the
current daily VA per diem rate for each day on pass.
(2) If the veteran has established residency,
and the veteran returns to the Home after having been on pass for less than
twelve (12) days in a calendar year, the veteran is responsible for payment of
only the regular daily resident's charge for each day he/she was on pass.
However, if the veteran is rated as in need of nursing home care for a VA
adjudicated service-connected disability; or the veteran has a singular or
combined service connected rating of seventy percent (70%) or more based on one
or more service-connected disabilities or a rating of total (100%) disability
based on individual unemployability, the veteran will not have a charge to hold
his bed at the Home for the first twelve (12) days in a calendar
year.
(3) Any veteran who remains
away from the Home for more than twelve (12) days in a calendar year, he/she is
responsible for payment (beginning with the 13th day) of the regular daily
resident's charge for each day on pass plus the current daily VA per diem rate
for each day on pass. This adjustment to the charge for nursing home care is
necessary to cover the loss of VA per diem (which helps keep the regular rate
down).
Miss. Code Ann. §
35-1-27
(Supp. 2010).