Gold Star Spouses Health Care Enhancement Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3594 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3594

   To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the health care 
          benefits available for Gold Star surviving spouses.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 23, 2025

 Ms. Kaptur (for herself and Mr. Bacon) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the health care 
          benefits available for Gold Star surviving spouses.

    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 ``Gold Star Spouses Health Care 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF HEALTH CARE BENEFITS FOR GOLD STAR SURVIVING 
              SPOUSES.

    (a) Medical Benefits.--Section 1079(g) of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``except as provided by 
        paragraph (5),'' after ``benefits under paragraph (1),''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
    ``(5)(A) A dependent described in subparagraph (B) shall not be 
subject to the three-year time limit specified in paragraph (2) with 
respect to eligibility for benefits under TRICARE Prime.
    ``(B) A dependent described in this subparagraph is a dependent for 
purposes of section 1072 of this title by reason of being a surviving 
spouse of a member of the Armed Forces whose death is covered by 
section 1126.''.
    (b) Dental Benefits.--Section 1076a(k) of such title is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``Such term'' and 
        inserting ``Except as provided by paragraph (4), such term''; 
        and
            (2) by adding after paragraph (3) the following:
    ``(4)(A) A dependent described in subparagraph (B) shall not be 
subject to the three-year time limit specified in paragraph (3).
    ``(B) A dependent described in this subparagraph is a dependent for 
purposes of section 1072 of this title by reason of being a surviving 
spouse of a member of the Armed Forces whose death is covered by 
section 1126.''.
    (c) Application.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
with respect to a surviving spouse of a member of the Armed Forces 
whose death is covered by section 1126 of title 10, United States Code, 
regardless of whether such death occurred before the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
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