I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2405 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans enrolled in 

the health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs the option 

of receiving covered health services through facilities other than those 

of the Department. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 14, 2009 

Mr. LATHAM (for himself, Mr. MCCOTTER, and Mr. MILLER of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans 

enrolled in the health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs the option of receiving covered health services through facilities other than those of the Department. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Richard Helm Vet5 erans’ Access to Local Health Care Options and Resources 

6 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR PAYMENTS TO FACILITIES 

2 OTHER THAN THE DEPARTMENT OF VET3 ERANS AFFAIRS FOR COVERED HEALTH 

4 SERVICES. 

5 (a) REQUIREMENT TO AUTHORIZE RECEIPT OF COV6 ERED HEALTH SERVICES AT NON-DEPARTMENT FACILI7 TIES PURSUANT TO CONTRACTS WITH SUCH FACILI8 TIES.—Subsection (a) of section 1703 of title 38, United 

9 States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

10 ‘‘(a) An enrolled veteran may elect to receive covered 

11 health services through a non-Department facility. Such 

12 an election shall be made by submission to the Secretary 

13 of an application in accordance with such regulations as 

14 the Secretary prescribes. The Secretary shall authorize 

15 such services to be furnished to such veteran pursuant to 

16 contracting with such a facility to furnish such services 

17 to such a veteran, as authorized in section 1710 of this 

18 title.’’. 

19 (b) DESCRIPTIONS OF COVERED HEALTH SERVICES

20 AND ENROLLED VETERANS.—Such section is further 

21 amended by adding at the end the following new sub22 section: 

23 ‘‘(e) For purposes of subsection (a)— 

24 ‘‘(1) a covered health service is any hospital 

25 care, medical service, rehabilitative service, or pre26 ventative health service for which the veteran deVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:10 May 15, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2405.IH H2405

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1 scribed in such subsection is eligible under this title; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(2) an enrolled veteran is a veteran who is en4 rolled in the system of patient enrollment established 

5 under section 1705(a) of this title.’’. 

6 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The Secretary of Veterans 

7 Affairs shall implement the amendments made by sub8 sections (a) and (b) in order for enrolled veterans de9 scribed in section 1703(e)(2) of title 38, United States 

10 Code, as added by subsection (b), to receive covered health 

11 services in accordance with section 1703(a) of such title, 

12 as amended by subsection (a), not later than 180 days 

13 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

14 SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF15 FAIRS PHARMACIES TO DISPENSE MEDICA16 TIONS TO VETERANS ON PRESCRIPTIONS 

17 WRITTEN BY PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS. 

18 Section 1712 of title 38, United States Code, is 

19 amended by adding at the end the following new sub20 section: 

21 ‘‘(f) Subject to section 1722A of this title, the Sec22 retary shall furnish to a veteran, through a Department 

23 health-care facility, such drugs and medicines as may be 

24 ordered on prescription of a duly licensed physician in the 

25 treatment of any illness or injury of the veteran provided 


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1 pursuant to the authority to contract with a non-Depart2 ment facility for such treatment under section 1703 of this 

3 title.’’. 

Æ 


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