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SB-842 Health care: assistive technology: reuse and redistribution.(2021-2022)

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Date Published: 09/07/2022 09:00 PM
SB842:v95#DOCUMENT

Enrolled  September 07, 2022
Passed  IN  Senate  August 31, 2022
Passed  IN  Assembly  August 31, 2022
Amended  IN  Assembly  August 25, 2022
Amended  IN  Senate  April 26, 2022
Amended  IN  Senate  March 14, 2022

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 842


Introduced by Senator Dodd
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry)
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Davies)

January 11, 2022


An act to add and repeal Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 19099) of Part 1 of Division 10 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to health care.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 842, Dodd. Health care: assistive technology: reuse and redistribution.
Existing law establishes the Department of Rehabilitation in the California Health and Human Services Agency to provide vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities.
This bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish a comprehensive 3-year device reutilization pilot program in the Counties of Contra Costa, Napa, Solano, and Yolo to facilitate the reuse and redistribution of assistive technology, including durable medical equipment. The bill would require the department to contract with one or more nonprofit agencies to oversee the program and would require a contracting nonprofit agency to use a computerized system to track the inventory of equipment and supplies available for reuse and redistribution and organize pickup and delivery of equipment and supplies. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2027, to submit a report to the appropriate Senate and Assembly policy committees of the Legislature that includes an evaluation of the success of the pilot program and challenges in implementation, among other things. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2030.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 19099) is added to Part 1 of Division 10 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
CHAPTER  4. Reuse and Redistribution of Durable Medical Equipment and Other Home Health Supplies Pilot Program

19099.
 Upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, the Department of Rehabilitation shall establish a comprehensive three-year device reutilization pilot program in the Counties of Contra Costa, Napa, Solano, and Yolo to facilitate the reuse and redistribution of assistive technology, including durable medical equipment. The department shall contract with one or more nonprofit agencies to oversee the program. A contracting nonprofit agency shall use a computerized system to track the inventory of equipment and supplies available for reuse and redistribution and organize pickup and delivery of equipment and supplies.

19099.1.
 For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a) “Assistive technology” means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
(b) “Device reutilization pilot program” means a program that provides for the exchange, repair, recycling, or other reutilization of assistive technology devices, which may include redistribution through device sales, loans, rentals, or donations.
(c) ”Durable medical equipment” means equipment prescribed by a licensed practitioner to meet medical equipment needs of a patient that can withstand repeated use, is used to serve a medical purpose, is not useful to an individual in the absence of an illness, injury, functional impairment, or congenital anomaly, and is appropriate for use in or out of the patient’s home.

19099.2.
 On or before January 1, 2027, the department shall submit a report to the appropriate Senate and Assembly policy committees of the Legislature that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(a) Evaluation of the success of the pilot program and challenges in implementation.
(b) Data on the types of assistive technology most utilized, including durable medical equipment.
(c) Data on the types of assistive technology, including durable medical equipment that were unable to be reused or redistributed, or were otherwise not appropriate for a reuse and distribution program.
(d) Data on the use of funds allocated under the contracts entered into by the department pursuant to Section 19099, including, but not limited to, costs for a computerized tracking system, real estate costs to house and store the assistive technology, cleaning, refurbishing, and repair costs prior to redistribution of the assistive technology, liability and insurance costs, transportation and related costs for equipment pickup and delivery, and staffing costs.
(e) The number of individuals who participated in the pilot program.

19099.3.
 This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.