| Sec. 3. Review of long-term care assessment system. The long-term care |
| ombudsman program shall initiate a review of the long-term care |
| assessment system being used in this State and shall submit a |
| report with recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on |
| Health and Human Services by January 15, 2004. In conducting the |
| review, the long-term care ombudsman program shall consult with |
| consumers, consumer advocates, providers of home-based and |
| community-based care, providers of facility-based care and the |
| Department of Human Services. The study must consider |
| assessments and reassessments, the living and care arrangements |
| of the consumer at the time of the assessment and whether the |
| consumer intends to pay privately or through an assistance |
| program. The Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human |
| Services may submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of |
| the 121st Legislature regarding the long-term care assessment |
| system. |