HCS HB 508 & 145 -- ELDERLY SHARED CARE & HOME DELIVERED MEALS
PROGRAM (Stokan)

This substitute establishes a new program within the Division of
Aging in the Department of Social Services entitled "Shared
Care."  The primary purpose of the program is to provide
services and support for those caring for an elderly family
member by increasing awareness of the available private and
governmental resources, and by providing a tax reimbursement to
qualifying persons.  The program also seeks to promote community
involvement by encouraging the establishment of local support
groups, the dissemination of information, and the provision of
education and training at no cost to families caring for an
elderly dependent.  Funds for the Shared Care program are to be
appropriated to and administered by the Department of Social
Services.

Families providing long-term care for an elderly person may
register with the Division of Aging as a Shared Care member.
"Registered care givers" are defined as those living in the same
residence with and providing uncompensated care for an elderly
dependent.  The Director of the Division of Aging is required to
maintain a registry of Shared Care members and providers and, in
conjunction with the Department of Revenue, is to develop a
physician certification form with identifying information for
tax purposes.  The director is also required to make a list of
public and private resources and services related to caring for
the elderly available to Shared Care members, and to encourage
the development of local support systems for those caring for
elderly family members.

Registered care givers living with an elderly dependent at least
6 months per year, and who file the physician certification form
with their Missouri income tax return may be eligible for
reimbursement to help offset the costs of caring for an elderly
dependent.  This tax credit is available only if the elderly
dependent is not receiving services through Medicaid or through
the Social Services Block Grant, and is limited to $500 per
elderly dependent per year.  In no case may reimbursement exceed
an eligible Shared Care member's tax liability for the year
reimbursement is claimed.  Eligible Shared Care members must
claim reimbursement at the time the state income tax return is
filed.  Reimbursement may be claimed for calendar year 1998 and
thereafter.

This substitute also limits the amount of costs incurred by the
Department of Revenue for collecting and handling contributions
made to the Elderly Home Delivered Meals Trust Fund to no more
than 5% of the contribution amount.

This substitute also places any rule promulgated under its
authority under certain standards for withstanding a challenge,
requires the court to award reasonable fees and expenses to any
prevailing party in such a challenge, and requires that rules
promulgated pursuant to the bill expire on August 28th of the
year after they become effective unless extended by statute.
These rules provisions have a conditional termination date.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Cost to General Revenue of $367,619
to Unknown for FY 1998, $2,448,655 to Unknown for FY 1999, and
$2,453,440 to Unknown for FY 2000.  Estimated Net Savings to
Aging Elderly Home Delivered Meals Trust Fund of $4,531 for FY
1998, FY 1999, and FY 2000.

HCS HB 508 & 145 -- ELDERLY SHARED CARE & HOME DELIVERED MEALS
PROGRAMS

Co-Sponsors:  Gunn (Stokan)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Social
Services, Medicaid and the Elderly by a vote of 16 to 0.

This substitute establishes a new program within the Division of
Aging in the Department of Social Services entitled "Shared
Care."  The primary purpose of the program is to provide
services and support for those caring for an elderly family
member by increasing awareness of the available private and
governmental resources, and by providing a tax reimbursement to
qualifying persons.  The program also seeks to promote community
involvement by encouraging the establishment of local support
groups, the dissemination of information, and the provision of
education and training at no cost to families caring for an
elderly dependent.  Funds for the Shared Care program are to be
appropriated to and administered by the Department of Social
Services.

Families providing long-term care for an elderly person may
register with the Division of Aging as a Shared Care member.
"Registered care givers" are defined as those living in the same
residence with and providing uncompensated care for an elderly
dependent.  The Director of the Division of Aging is required to
maintain a registry of Shared Care members and providers and, in
conjunction with the Department of Revenue, is to develop a
physician certification form with identifying information for
tax purposes.  The director is also required to make a list of
public and private resources and services related to caring for
the elderly available to Shared Care members, and to encourage
the development of local support systems for those caring for
elderly family members.

Registered care givers living with an elderly dependent at least
6 months per year, and who file the physician certification form
with their Missouri income tax return may be eligible for
reimbursement to help offset the costs of caring for an elderly
dependent.  This tax credit is available only if the elderly
dependent is not receiving services through Medicaid or through
the Social Services Block Grant, and is limited to $500 per
elderly dependent per year.  In no case may reimbursement exceed
an eligible Shared Care member's tax liability for the year
reimbursement is claimed.  Eligible Shared Care members must
claim reimbursement at the time the state income tax return is
filed.  Reimbursement may be claimed for calendar year 1998 and
thereafter.

This substitute also limits the amount of costs incurred by the
Department of Revenue for collecting and handling contributions
made to the Elderly Home Delivered Meals Trust Fund to no more
than 5% of the contribution amount.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Cost to General Revenue of $367,619
for FY 1998, $2,448,655 for FY 1999, and $2,453,440 for FY
2000.  Estimated Net Savings to Aging Elderly Home Delivered
Meals Trust Fund of $4,531 for FY 1998, FY 1999, and FY 2000.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that elderly individuals as well as
the state benefit when the elderly can remain in their homes; in
addition, limiting administrative costs allows more services to
be provided directly to the elderly through the Meals on Wheels
program.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Stokan and Scheve;
Missouri Home Care; Missouri Alliance for Home Care; Missouri
Coalition for Quality Care; American Association of Retired
Persons; and Silver Haired Legislature.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Debra Cheshier, Research Analyst

HB 508 -- Elderly Shared Care Program

Sponsor: Stokan

This bill establishes a new program within the Division of Aging
in the Department of Social Services entitled "Shared Care."
The primary purpose of the program is to provide services and
support for those caring for an elderly family member by
increasing awareness of the available private and governmental
resources, and by providing a tax reimbursement to qualifying
persons.  The program also seeks to promote community
involvement by encouraging the establishment of local support
groups, the dissemination of information, and the provision of
education and training at no cost to families caring for an
elderly dependent.

Shared Care members include "elderly dependents," persons of age
60 years and older who meet all of the medical qualifications
established for the Missouri Care Options program, and
"registered care givers," defined as those living in the same
residence with and providing uncompensated care for an elderly
dependent.  The director of the Division of Aging is required to
maintain a registry of Shared Care members, and to make a list
of members eligible for the tax reimbursement available to the
Department of Revenue at or before the end of each calendar
year, beginning in 1998.  The director is also required to make
a list of public and private resources and services related to
caring for the elderly available to Shared Care members, and to
encourage the development of local support systems for those
caring for elderly family members.

Shared Care members not receiving assistance through the
Missouri Care Options program or through Medicaid, and who meet
program eligibility rules established by the division may
qualify for reimbursement to help offset the costs of caring for
an elderly dependent.  Reimbursement for eligible registered
care givers living with an elderly dependent at least 6 months
per year is limited to $500 the first year, $750 the second
year, and up to a maximum of $1,000 per elderly dependent for
each year thereafter.  Elderly dependents living alone and
privately funding any of the services provided by the Missouri
Care Options program at least 6 months per year may qualify for
reimbursement of up to $1,000 per year.  Elderly dependents
claiming reimbursement must provide documentation of expenses to
the Division of Aging.  In no case may reimbursement exceed an
eligible Shared Care member's tax liability for the year
reimbursement is claimed.  Eligible Shared Care members must
claim reimbursement at the time the state income tax return is
filed.  Reimbursement may be claimed for calendar year 1998 and
thereafter.