Addressing Care Timelines for Veterans Act or the ACT for Veterans Act
This bill modifies the Veterans Community Care Program to extend the authorization period for emergency treatment furnished by non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care providers. Specifically, the bill authorizes the VA to deem as authorized emergency treatment provided to a covered veteran by a non-VA health care provider if such veteran or provider submits notification within 96 hours (currently 72 hours under VA regulations) of such emergency treatment. Covered veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system or those who are not enrolled but are eligible for care due to a service-connected disability.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3644 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3644
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authorization
period for emergency treatment in non-Department of Veterans Affairs
medical facilities under the Veterans Community Care Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 24, 2023
Mr. Latta (for himself, Mrs. Harshbarger, Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Miller of
Illinois, and Mr. Bentz) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authorization
period for emergency treatment in non-Department of Veterans Affairs
medical facilities under the Veterans Community Care Program.
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 ``Addressing Care Timelines for
Veterans Act'' or the ``ACT for Veterans Act''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION PERIOD FOR EMERGENCY TREATMENT IN
NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES.
(a) Authorization Period Extended.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (a)(3) of section 1703 of title
38, United States Code, is amended--
(A) by striking ``A covered veteran'' and inserting
``(A) Except as provided by subparagraph (B), a covered
veteran''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(B) In the case of emergency treatment furnished to a covered
veteran by a health care provider specified in subsection (c) in the
course of care or services authorized under subparagraph (A), the
Secretary may deem such emergency treatment to be authorized under such
subparagraph if such covered veteran (or an individual acting on behalf
of the covered veteran) or such health care provider submits to the
Secretary a notification in such form and containing such information
and assurances as the Secretary determines appropriate, except the
Secretary may not require such notification to be submitted earlier
than 96 hours after the date on which such health care provider
furnishes such emergency treatment to such covered veteran.''.
(2) Emergency treatment defined.--Subsection (o) of such
section is amended--
(A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph
(3); and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1), the following
new paragraph:
``(2) The term `emergency treatment' has the meaning given
such term in section 1725 of this title.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on the date that is one year after 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.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
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