Page 1 of 2 LRC 2022-BR861-HB381
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY FISCAL NOTE STATEMENT
LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION
2022 R EGULAR SESSION
MEASURE
2022 BR NUMBER 861 HOUSE BILL NUMBER 381
TITLE AN ACT relating to hospital after-care for veterans.
SPONSOR Representative Bill Wesley
FISCAL SUMMARY
STATE FISCAL IMPACT: YES NO UNCERTAIN
OTHER FISCAL STATEMENT (S) THAT MAY APPLY: ACTUARIAL ANALYSIS
LOCAL MANDATE CORRECTIONS IMPACT HEALTH BENEFIT MANDATE
APPROPRIATION UNIT(S) IMPACTED: Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
FUND(S) IMPACTED: GENERAL ROAD FEDERAL RESTRICTED
FISCAL ESTIMATES 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 ANNUAL IMPACT AT FULL
IMPLEMENTATION
REVENUES
EXPENDITURES $1,128,700 $1,128,700
NET EFFECT ($1,128,700) ($1,128,700)
( ) indicates a decrease/negative
PURPOSE OF MEASURE: This measure would require hospitals to contact the Kentucky
Department of Veterans Affairs (KDVA) when discharging an individual with a serious physical
injury or trauma that has been determined to be a veteran. KDVA shall initiate contact with the
veteran, legal guardian, or caregiver within one (1) business day to ensure the veteran receives
services, resources, or other entitlements related to the trauma or injury.
FISCAL EXPLANATION : The KDVA estimates that the legislation will result in increased
costs for the Benefits Division of the agency due to the need to hire clinical staff or social service
workers that can provide services and assistance of a medical nature. The KDVA estimates the
cost of the measure to be $1,128,700 in each year of the 2022-2024 biennium as a floor,
adjusting costs beyond 2024 based on the number of veterans served. This amount includes the
cost of ten clinically qualified representatives, one Supervisor, and one Administrative Specialist
that would be needed to cover the 19 districts that service 295,000 veterans.
As of now, it is indeterminable how many veterans may need these types of services. No
statistics are available for the number of Kentuckians hospitalized for "serious physical injury" as
defined by KRS 500.080 to estimate the number of veterans that may be eligible for services
from KDVA under this bill. However, the number of incidents of "trauma", as defined by KRS
311A.010, is available through the Kentucky Trauma Registry. The most recent Annual Page 2 of 2 LRC 2022-BR861-HB381
Kentucky State Trauma Registry Report, from 2019, identified 12,473 incidents of trauma
amongst age groups that could plausibly be considered of age to be veterans. Based on the
percentage of Kentucky's veteran population, an estimated 1,000 veterans could experience
physical trauma annually and could receive services or assistance from KDVA.
DATA SOURCE(S): LRC Budget Staff, Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, Kentucky State
Trauma Registry, U.S. Census Bureau, Cabinet for Health and Family Services
PREPARER: Emma Mills/Kevin Newton NOTE NUMBER : 63 REVIEW: JAB DATE: 2/16/2022