South Carolina General Assembly
107th Session, 1987-1988

Bill 252

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               252
Ratification Number:       233
Act Number                 165
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   Program to educate citizens concerning
                           the availability of long term care
                           services
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A165, R233, S252)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 43-21-150 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION ON AGING, WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE LONG TERM CARE COUNCIL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO EDUCATE CITIZENS CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY OF LONG TERM CARE SERVICES, THE LIFETIME RISK OF SPENDING TIME IN A NURSING HOME, AND THE COVERAGE AVAILABLE FOR LONG TERM CARE SERVICES THROUGH MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND PRIVATE INSURANCE POLICIES, AND THE LIMITATIONS OF THIS COVERAGE, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF HOME EQUITY CONVERSION ALTERNATIVES; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION ON AGING TO STUDY THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF ESTABLISHING A STATEWIDE COMPUTER-BASED VOLUNTEER SERVICES CREDIT PROGRAM, AND TO MAKE A REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGARDING THIS STUDY BY JULY 1, 1987; AND TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, TO STUDY THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIFE CARE COMMUNITIES IN THIS STATE AND REPORT ITS FINDINGS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY JANUARY 1, 1988.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Program to be developed

SECTION 1. Chapter 21 of Title 43 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 43-21-150. The Commission on Aging, with the cooperation of the Long Term Care Council and the Department of Insurance, shall develop and implement a program to educate citizens concerning:

(a) the availability of long term care services;

(b) the lifetime risk of spending some time in a nursing home;

(c) the coverage available for long term care services through Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance policies, and the limitations of this coverage; and

(d) the availability of home equity conversion alternatives, such as reverse annuity mortgages and sale-leaseback arrangements, in this State and the risks and benefits of these alternatives.

This program must be made a part of the Preretirement Education Program of the South Carolina Retirement Systems."

Commission to study costs and benefits

SECTION 2. The Commission on Aging shall study the costs and benefits of establishing a statewide, computer-based volunteer services credit program under which persons who are sixty years of age or older may volunteer their services to provide homemaker or respite care for elderly persons who need the care. The experience of other states with similar programs must also be included in the study. Results and recommendations from the study must be reported to the General Assembly by July 1, 1988.

Commission to study development of life care retirement communities

SECTION 3. The Commission on Consumer Affairs, with the cooperation of the Department of Insurance and the Commission on Aging, shall study the development of life care or continuing care retirement communities in this State and report its findings to the General Assembly by January 1, 1988. Recommendations which can be accomplished through regulations must be implemented as soon as possible; those recommendations which require legislative action must be included in the report to the General Assembly.

Time effective

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval of the Governor.