II 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 239 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans in each 

of the 48 contiguous States are able to receive services in at least 

one full-service hospital of the Veterans Health Administration in the 

State or receive comparable services provided by contract in the State. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 14, 2009 

Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. GREGG) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans in each of the 48 contiguous States are able to 

receive services in at least one full-service hospital of 

the Veterans Health Administration in the State or receive comparable services provided by contract in the 

State. 

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 ‘‘Veterans Health Eq5 uity Act of 2009’’. 


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•S 239 IS

1 SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF FULL-SERVICE HOSPITAL OF THE 

2 VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION IN 

3 CERTAIN STATES OR PROVISION OF COM4 PARABLE SERVICES THROUGH CONTRACT 

5 WITH OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN 

6 THE STATE. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 17 of title 38, United 

8 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1716 

9 the following new section: 

10 ‘‘§ 1716A. Access to full-service hospitals in certain 

11 States or comparable services through 

12 contract 

13 ‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—With respect to each of the 48 

14 contiguous States, the Secretary shall ensure that veterans 

15 in the State eligible for hospital care and medical services 

16 under section 1710 of this title have access— 

17 ‘‘(1) to at least one full-service hospital of the 

18 Veterans Health Administration in the State; or 

19 ‘‘(2) to hospital care and medical services com20 parable to the services provided in full-service hos21 pitals through contract with other health care pro22 viders in the State. 

23 ‘‘(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in sub24 section (a) shall be construed to restrict the ability of the 

25 Secretary to provide enhanced care to an eligible veteran 


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1 who resides in one State in a hospital of the Veterans 

2 Health Administration in another State.’’. 

3 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

4 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 

5 after the item relating to section 1716 the following new 

6 item: 

‘‘1716A. Access to full-service hospitals in certain States or comparable services 

through contract.’’. 

7 (c) REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 

8 one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

9 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a 

10 report describing the extent to which the Secretary has 

11 complied with the requirement imposed by section 1716A 

12 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 

13 (a), including the effect of such requirement on improving 

14 the quality and standards of care provided to veterans. 

Æ 


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