MODIFICATION OF HEALTH-CARE CATEGORIES AND COPAYMENTS.

SEC. 8013. MODIFICATION OF HEALTH-CARE CATEGORIES AND COPAYMENTS. (a) Inpatient Care.—(1) Subsection (a) of section 610 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (A) in paragraph (1)(D, by striking out “622(a)(1)” and inserting in lieu thereof “622(a)”; and (B) by striking out paragraph (2) and inserting in lieu thereof the following: “(2) In the case of a veteran who is not described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Secretary may, to the extent resources and facilities are available, furnish hospital care and nursing home care to a veteran which the Secretary determines is needed for a nonservice-connected disability, subject to the provisions of subsection (f) of this section.”. (2) Subsection (f) of such section is amended— (A) by striking out paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting in lieu thereof the following: “(f)(1) The Secretary may not furnish hospital care or nursing home care under this section to a veteran who is eligible for such care under subsection (a)(2) of this section unless the veteran agrees to pay to the United States the applicable amount determined under paragraph (2) of this subsection. “(2) A veteran who is furnished hospital care or nursing home care under this section and who is required under paragraph (1) of this subsection to agree to pay an amount to the United States in order to be furnished such care shall be liable to the United States for an amount equal to— “(A) the lesser of— “(i) the cost of furnishing such care, as determined by the Secretary; or “(ii) the amount determined under paragraph (3) of this subsection; and “(B) an amount equal to $10 for every day the veteran receives hospital care and $5 for every day the veteran receives nursing home care.”; and (B) in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (3), by striking out “(2)(B)” each place it appears and inserting in lieu thereof “(2)(A)(ii)”. (b) Outpatient Care.—Subsection (D of section 612 of such title is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking out “610(a)(2)(B)” and inserting in lieu thereof “610(a)(2)”; (2) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (7) as (3) and (4), respectively; and (3) by striking paragraphs (3), (4), and (6). (c) Income Thresholds.—(1) Subsection (a) of section 622 of such title is amended— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking out “(1)” at the beginning of the subsection; (ii) by redesignating clauses (A), (B), and (C) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively, and (iii) by striking out “Category A threshold” in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, and inserting in lieu thereof “amount set forth in subsection (b)”; (B) by striking out paragraph (2). (2) Subsection (b) of such section is amended to read as follows:104 STAT. 1388–347 “(b)(1) For purposes of subsection (a)(3), the income threshold for the calendar year beginning on January 1, 1990, is— “(A) $17,240 in the case of a veteran with no dependents; and “(B) $20,688 in the case of a veteran with one dependent, plus $1,150 for each additional dependent. “(2) For a calendar year beginning after December 31, 1990, the amounts in effect for purposes of this subsection shall be the amounts in effect for the preceding calendar year as adjusted under subsection (c) of this section.”. (3) Subsection (c) of such section is amended by striking out “paragraphs (1) and (2) of”. (4) Paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of such section is amended to read as follows: “(2) A determination described in this paragraph is a determination that for purposes of subsection (a)(3) of this section a veteran’s attributable income is not greater than the amount determined under subsection (b) of this section.”. (5) Subsection (e) of such section is amended— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking out “the Category A thresh-old or the Category B threshold, as appropriate” and inserting in lieu thereof “the amount determined under subsection (b) of this section”; and (B) by striking out paragraph (2) and inserting in lieu thereof the following: “(2) A veteran is described in this paragraph for the purposes of subsection (a) of this section if— “(A) the veteran has an attributable income greater than the amount determined under subsection (b) of this section; and “(B) the current projections of such veteran’s income for the current year are that the veteran’s income for such year will be substantially below the amount determined under subsection (b).”. (d) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to hospital care and medical services received after October 31, 1990, or the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever is later. (e) Sunset.—The amendments made by this section expire on September 30, 1991.