To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposes.

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to automatically enroll in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical system certain veterans who served on active duty in combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War or in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998. Gives such veterans the option of declining enrollment.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3441 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3441

 To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat 
       zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2009

    Mr. Arcuri (for himself, Mr. Maffei, Mr. Sires, Mr. Massa, Mr. 
    Boccieri, Mr. Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kagen, Mr. 
   Minnick, and Mr. Filner) introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat 
       zones into the VA medical system, 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. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF VETERANS RETURNING FROM COMBAT ZONES 
              INTO THE VA MEDICAL SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 45 days after the date on which a 
veteran described in section 1710(e)(1)(D) of title 38, United States 
Code, is discharged or separated from service in the active military, 
naval, or air service, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, shall--
            (1) enroll such veteran in the patient enrollment system 
        maintained by the Secretary under section 1705 of that title; 
        and
            (2) provide such veteran with--
                    (A) a veterans identification card that--
                            (i) demonstrates that such veteran is 
                        enrolled in such system; and
                            (ii) allows such veteran to access hospital 
                        care and medical services at Department of 
                        Veterans Affairs medical facilities;
                    (B) a list of Department of Veterans Affairs 
                medical facilities (including hospitals, outpatient 
                centers, and mental health clinics) located within 100 
                miles of the home of the veteran; and
                    (C) a description of available Federal veterans 
                benefits and programs, including educational benefits 
                and job training and placement programs, which the 
                veteran may be eligible for due to the veteran's 
                service in the active military, naval, or air service.
    (b) Opt Out Provisions.--
            (1) Prior to enrollment.--
                    (A) Option not to enroll.--During the discharge or 
                separation process for a person from active military, 
                naval, or air service, and prior to enrolling the 
                person pursuant to subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of 
                Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the Secretary of 
                Defense, shall provide the person with the option to 
                decline such enrollment.
                    (B) Notice to secretary; prohibition on 
                enrollment.--If a person provides notice to the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs that the person is 
                declining enrollment under subparagraph (A), the 
                Secretary may not enroll the person pursuant to 
                subsection (a)(1).
            (2) Subsequent to enrollment.--
                    (A) Notice to secretary.--Not later than 6 months 
                after the date on which a veteran is enrolled under 
                section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, pursuant 
                to subsection (a)(1), a veteran so enrolled may 
                disenroll from the patient enrollment system under such 
                section by providing notice to the Secretary of 
                Veterans Affairs.
                    (B) Disenrollment.--Not later than 60 days after 
                receiving notice from a veteran under subparagraph (A), 
                the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall disenroll such 
                veteran from such patient enrollment system.
    (c) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the date 
that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>