Introduced In House On 7/06/2020 By Rep. Griffith H. Morgan R-VA-9
Granny Pods Study Act
H.R. 7493 -Granny Pods Study Act was sponsored by Rep. Griffith H. Morgan R-VA-9 on 7/06/2020 -116th Congress ( 2019-2020 ) 2nd session.
This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to study the provision of certain long-term care services for physically or mentally impaired individuals through temporary family health care structures (also known as granny pods).
Specifically, the CMS must (1) identify services that are already covered by Medicare or Medicaid that could be provided in temporary family health care structures by caregivers, (2) determine reasonable reimbursement rates for such services, and (3) provide the cost differential between such rates and the rates for services provided in nursing facilities.
The bill defines a temporary family health care structure as a transportable residential structure that helps a caregiver (i.e., adult relative) of an individual who is mentally or physically impaired to care for the individual. The structure must have been primarily assembled at a different location from where it is installed, may be no larger than 300 gross square feet, and must be limited to only one occupant (the individual in need of care).
Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after introducing the Granny Pods Study Act Of 2020
“For some families, ‘granny pods’ are an appropriate and safe choice as they care for loved ones with long-term mental and physical impairments. My bill would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to study the possibility of reimbursing for expenses related to care provided in these temporary structures. We should strongly consider this possibility as a way to provide more options for safe and constant long-term care.”
Background: Temporary family health care structures, popularly known as “granny pods,” are small, transportable residential structures designed to house one occupant for medical care. They can be located in backyards or added to existing residences.
Griffith discussed the concept of granny pods and raised the possibility of reimbursing for care provided in them at an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on June 17, 2020.
To require the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to conduct a study on temporary family health care structures.
July 6, 2020
Mr. Griffith introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To require the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to conduct a study on temporary family health care structures.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Granny Pods Study Act of 2020”.
SEC. 2. Study on temporary family health care structures.
(a) Study.—The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid shall conduct a study on the provision of long-term care to mentally or physically impaired individuals using temporary family health care structures. The study shall include:
(1) An identification of the services currently covered by Medicare program or the Medicaid program that could reasonably be provided in a temporary family health care structure by a caregiver or a home health provider.
(2) A determination of reasonable reimbursement rates for those services identified under paragraph (1) provided in a temporary family health care structure setting.
(3) The cost differential between such rates and the rates for such services furnished in a nursing facility.
(b) Report.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with other Federal agencies, if appropriate, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the activities undertaken pursuant to subsection (a) and the results of the study conducted under such subsection.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) TEMPORARY FAMILY HEALTH CARE STRUCTURE.—The term “temporary family health care structure” means a transportable residential structure, providing an environment facilitating a caregiver’s provision of care for a mentally or physically impaired individual, that—
(A) is primarily assembled at a location other than its site of installation;
(B) is limited to one occupant who shall be the mentally or physically impaired person; and
(C) has no more than 300 gross square feet.
(2) LONG TERM CARE.—The term “long term care” means care equivalent to that which would be covered by the Medicare or Medicaid program in a residential nursing facility if furnished to a beneficiary under such program.
(3) CAREGIVER.—The term “caregiver” means an adult who provides care for a mentally or physically impaired person. A caregiver shall be either related by blood, marriage, or adoption to or the legally appointed guardian of, the mentally or physically impaired person for whom the caregiver is caring.
(4) MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUAL.—The term “mentally or physically impaired individual” means an individual who qualifies for benefits under the Medicare or Medicaid program and requires assistance with two or more activities of daily living, as certified in writing provided by a physician licensed by the State in which the individual resides.
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