On September 20, the Senate Finance Committee approved, 20-0, a substitute amendment to the Elder Justice Act (S. 333). The Senate Special Aging Committee held hearings on the bill last October (see The Source, 11/31/03 and 11/24/03).
Sponsored by Sen. John Breaux (D-LA), the measure would authorize approximately $1.2 billion through FY2009 for grants to research elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The bill would create a new federal Adult Protective Services office and a public-private coordinating council to enhance communication among various entities that work with the elderly. Finally, S. 333 would increase the number of health care professionals with geriatric training, and would provide for a long-term care facility employment tax credit.
The substitute amendment would authorize the secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a plan to improve the electronic submission of clinical data at long-term care facilities. The substitute also would authorize grants for the reduction of health care complications resulting from medication errors at long-term care facilities. Unlike the original bill, the substitute amendment would not establish an Office of Elder Justice within the Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice.
In a press release announcing committee passage of the bill, Ranking Member Max Baucus (D-MT) stated, “I am very pleased that the Finance Committee was so overwhelmingly in support of this legislation. It is high time for the federal government to dedicate attention and resources to stemming the problems of elder abuse neglect and exploitation.”
Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-IL) has sponsored a similar bill (H.R. 2490) in the House.
