I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5024 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health care coverage 

provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs during the transition 

of members of the Armed Forces from service in the Armed Forces 

to civilian life, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 8, 2019 

Mr. SABLAN (for himself and Mrs. RADEWAGEN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health 

care coverage provided by the Department of Veterans 

Affairs during the transition of members of the Armed 

Forces from service in the Armed Forces to civilian 

life, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR 

4 VETERANS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1710(a)(1) of title 38, 

6 United States Code, is amended— 


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1 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

2 the end; 

3 (2) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as sub4 paragraph (C); and 

5 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the fol6 lowing new subparagraph (B): 

7 ‘‘(B) to any veteran during the one-year period 

8 following the discharge or release of the veteran 

9 from active military, naval, or air service, or from 

10 active status (as defined in section 101 of title 10); 

11 and’’. 

12 (b) PATIENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM.—Section 

13 1705(c) of such title is amended by adding at the end the 

14 following new paragraph: 

15 ‘‘(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to pre16 vent the Secretary from providing hospital care and med17 ical services to a veteran under section 1710(a)(1)(B) of 

18 this title during the period specified in such section not19 withstanding the failure of the veteran to enroll in the sys20 tem of patient enrollment established by the Secretary 

21 under subsection (a).’’. 

22 (c) PROMOTION OF EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY.— 

23 (1) TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— 

24 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of 

25 Labor, in consultation with the Secretary of 


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1 Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 

2 shall promote to members of the Armed Forces 

3 transitioning from service in the Armed Forces 

4 to civilian life through the Transition Assist5 ance Program the expanded eligibility of vet6 erans for health care under the laws adminis7 tered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs pur8 suant to the amendments made by this section. 

9 (B) TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

10 DEFINED.—In this paragraph, the term ‘‘Tran11 sition Assistance Program’’ means the Transi12 tion Assistance Program under sections 1142 

13 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code. 

14 (2) PUBLICATION BY DEPARTMENT OF VET15 ERANS AFFAIRS.—Not later than 30 days after the 

16 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

17 Veterans Affairs shall publish on a website of the 

18 Department of Veterans Affairs notification of the 

19 expanded eligibility of veterans for health care under 

20 the laws administered by the Secretary pursuant to 

21 the amendments made by this section. 

Æ 


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