Directs the Secretary to provide for priority in the enrollment of veterans in such system to any veteran with an emergent or urgent care need and then as provided for veterans currently enrolled in the Department's patient enrollment system.
[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4852 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4852
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the geographic
allocation of funds made available to the Department of Veterans
Affairs for medical care on a basis that better reflects the veterans
population of different regions of the country and that accounts for
significant shifts in the veterans populations in those regions, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 23, 2002
Mr. Weldon of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the geographic
allocation of funds made available to the Department of Veterans
Affairs for medical care on a basis that better reflects the veterans
population of different regions of the country and that accounts for
significant shifts in the veterans populations in those regions, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Medical Care Improvement
and Equity Act of 2002''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The current Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation
(VERA) system fails to adequately distribute Department of
Veterans Affairs medical care resources to where veterans
actually reside in accordance with section 429 of Public Law
104-204 (110 Stat. 2929).
(2) The number of veterans seeking medical care in the
Department of Veterans Affairs health care system is far
outstripping the ability of that system to provide care to all
veterans in need.
(3) There are currently thousands of Category 1 through 6
veterans with service-connected disabilities who are on waiting
lists to enroll in the Department of Veterans Affairs health
care system.
(4) There are Category 7 veterans with serious health care
needs who are enrolled or awaiting enrollment in the Department
of Veterans Affairs health care system.
SEC. 3. REVISION TO GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION METHOD FOR FUNDS APPROPRIATED
FOR VETERANS MEDICAL CARE.
(a) In General.--(1) In applying the VERA system to the allocation
of VA medical care funds for any fiscal year among the geographic
service areas of the Veterans Health Administration, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall make such allocation in accordance with this
section. In determining the number of veterans served by any such
geographic service area for purposes of such allocations, the Secretary
shall include all veterans who are enrolled in the Department of
Veterans Affairs health care system and all veterans who have contacted
the Department of Veterans Affairs and are awaiting enrollment in the
Department of Veterans Affairs health care system.
(2) Data used in determining the number of veterans enrolled or
awaiting enrollment for purposes of this section shall be as current as
possible as of the beginning of the fiscal year and shall be no more
than six months old.
(b) Mid-Year Review.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
conduct a mid-year review of the allocations under subsection (a) for
any fiscal year for the purpose of making adjustments based upon
changes in the number of veterans enrolled or awaiting enrollment in
the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system. Such review
shall be completed in time to make any adjustments in such allocations
effective for the two most recent quarters of the fiscal year, and the
Secretary shall make such adjustments to achieve equity of access to
those veterans as soon as practicable upon completion of such mid-year
review. Data used for such review shall be as current as possible as of
the time of the mid-year review and shall be no more than six months
old.
(c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) The term ``VA medical care funds'' means funds
appropriated for any fiscal year to the Department of Veterans
Affairs for medical care.
(2) The term ``VERA system'' means the Veterans Equitable
Resource Allocation system established pursuant to section 429
of Public Law 104-204 (110 Stat. 2929).
SEC. 4. PRIORITIZATION FOR ENROLLMENT AND CARE.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide for priority in the
enrollment of veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs health
care system, and in the furnishing of care and services through that
system, in accordance with the following categories, with priority in
the order listed:
(1) Any veteran with an emergent or urgent care need.
(2) Any veteran described in any of paragraphs (1) through
(6) of section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, and any
veteran described in paragraph (7) of such section who has a
serious health care need that if not treated would place the
veteran's life in jeopardy.
(3) Any veteran not described in paragraph (1) or (2).
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect upon enactment and shall apply with
respect to funds appropriated for fiscal year 2003 and thereafter.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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