Help Establish Access to Local Timely Healthcare for Your Vets (HEALTHY Vets) Act of 2004 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in the case of a veteran for whom Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities are geographically inaccessible, to use current authority for contracting out veterans' medical care to non-Department facilities in order to provide the following care to such veterans: (1) primary care; (2) acute or chronic symptom management; (3) nontherapeutic medical services; and (4) other medical services determined appropriate by the director of that geographic service region, after consultation with the Department physician responsible for the primary care of the veteran. Outlines conditions under which Department facilities shall be deemed geographically inaccessible. Authorizes the Secretary to waive the requirement of geographic inaccessibility, on a case-by-case basis, if the Secretary determines that the costs to the Department of providing such care significantly outweigh the benefits of localized health care for the veteran.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3777 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3777
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with community health care
providers to improve access to health care for veterans in highly rural
areas, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 4, 2004
Mr. McInnis (for himself, Mr. Walden of Oregon, Mr. Peterson of
Pennsylvania, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Istook, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Frost, Mr.
Case, Mr. Goode, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Sandlin, Mr. Hastings of Washington,
Mr. Green of Wisconsin, Mr. Peterson of Minnesota, Mrs. Capito, Mr.
King of Iowa, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Filner, Mrs. Musgrave, Mr. Boucher, Mr.
Paul, and Mr. Marshall) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with community health care
providers to improve access to health care for veterans in highly rural
areas, 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 ``Help Establish Access to Local
Timely Healthcare for Your Vets (HEALTHY Vets) Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. ENHANCED CONTRACT CARE AUTHORITY FOR HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF
VETERANS IN HIGHLY RURAL AREAS.
(a) Rural Veterans.--Section 1703 of title 38, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d)(1) In the case of a veteran for whom Department facilities
are geographically inaccessible (as provided in paragraph (2)), the
Secretary shall use the contract authority provided in subsection (a)
for the following care:
``(A) Primary care.
``(B) Acute or chronic symptom management.
``(C) Nontherapeutic medical services.
``(D) Other medical services as determined appropriate by
the director of the appropriate geographic service region of
the Department, after consultation with the Department
physician responsible for primary care of the veteran.
``(2) Department facilities shall be deemed to be geographically
inaccessible for purposes of paragraph (1) in the case of a veteran
whose residence meets any of the following criteria:
``(A) The residence is in a county with a population
density of less than 7.0 people per square mile and is more
than 75 miles from the nearest Department health care facility.
``(B) The residence is in a county with a population
density of more than 7.0 and less than 8.0 people per square
mile and is more than 100 miles from the nearest Department
health care facility.
``(C) The residence is in a county with a population
density of more than 8.0 and less than 9.0 people per square
mile and is more than 125 miles from the nearest Department
health care facility.
``(D) The residence is more than 150 miles from the nearest
Department health care facility.
``(3) The Secretary may waive the requirement in paragraph (1) in
the case of a particular veteran if the Secretary demonstrates on an
individual basis through a cost-benefit analysis that the costs to the
Department of providing care to that veteran pursuant to paragraph (1)
significantly outweigh the benefits of localized health care for the
individual veteran.
``(4) For purposes of paragraph (2), a distance in miles shall be
determined on the basis of the most convenient highway route that is
available to the veteran, as determined by the Secretary.''.
(b) Effective Date.--Subsection (d) of section 1703 of title 38,
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect at
the end of the 120-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of
this Act.
<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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