Establishing a veterans recovery program and fund for the reimbursement of expenses related to providing hyperbaric oxygen treatment to eligible veterans, and making appropriations

2 establishes the veterans recovery program, subject to sufficient moneys to operate the program, requires the department to adopt rules to implement and administer the program, and includes a reporting requirement for the department concerning the operation of the program.3 creates a veterans traumatic brain injury recovery fund in the state treasury under the control of the department. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the department to be expended for expenses incurred in operating the program and for expenses authorized to be reimbursed for hyperbaric oxygen treatment.4 provides for the process for a veterans service organization to seek reimbursement from the veterans traumatic brain injury recovery fund for hyperbaric oxygen treatment. The bill provides that a veterans service organization may submit a proposed treatment plan to the department and the commission of veterans affairs for their approval. The treatment plan shall include the prescription order for the treatment, information verifying the eligibility of the veteran to receive and the treatment facility to provide the treatment, the estimated costs for providing the treatment, and any other information required by the department. The treatment plan shall not be approved if sufficient moneys to reimburse the estimated costs are not available in the veterans traumatic brain injury recovery fund. The bill also establishes a process for submitting a modified treatment plan if the estimated costs for providing the treatment are anticipated to exceed the cost estimate in the initial treatment plan.5 provides for requirements relative to providing hyperbaric oxygen treatment and provides for the manner in which treatment-related expenses are to be reimbursed. The bill provides that a veterans service organization shall not be reimbursed for treatment unless a treatment plan has been approved. If a treatment facility elects to provide hyperbaric oxygen treatment under the program, the facility shall provide the treatment without charge to a veteran. A participating veterans service organization shall submit regular reports to the department concerning the efficacy of the treatment and whether the treatments have been concluded. The bill also provides for a process for a treatment facility and a veteran to receive reimbursement for expenses incurred. The bill requires the department to provide written notification to the veterans service organization and veteran after treatment has concluded, which notice shall indicate when any additional requests for reimbursement may be made. The bill further directs the department to submit a regulatory analysis of proposed rules to the administrative code editor not later than January 1, 2027, for the adoption of rules necessary to implement and administer the new Code chapter.