I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4727 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs to assign temporary disability ratings to certain veterans for 

purposes of compensation and health care, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 21, 2017 

Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to assign temporary disability 

ratings to certain veterans for purposes of compensation 

and health care, 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. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Access to 

5 VA Care Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. TEMPORARY DISABILITY RATING. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1156 of title 38, United 

8 States Code, is amended— 


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1 (1) in subsection (a)(1), by adding at the end 

2 the following new subparagraph: 

3 ‘‘(E) To a veteran who— 

4 ‘‘(i) is not described in subparagraph (A), 

5 (B), (C), or (D); and 

6 ‘‘(ii) files a claim for disability compensa7 tion under this chapter.’’; 

8 (2) by adding after paragraph (3) of subsection 

9 (a) the following new paragraph: 

10 ‘‘(4) With respect to a veteran described in paragraph 

11 (1)(E), the Secretary shall schedule a medical examination 

12 for such veteran concerning the disability of the veteran 

13 as soon as is practicable after the veteran files a claim 

14 for disability compensation under this chapter.’’; and 

15 (3) in subsection (b)(1), by adding after sub16 paragraph (D) the following new subparagraph: 

17 ‘‘(E) For a veteran who is assigned a tem18 porary disability rating under subsection (a)(1)(E), 

19 until the date on which a rating decision is issued 

20 to such veteran following the medical examination 

21 scheduled under subsection (a)(4).’’. 

22 (b) HEALTH CARE.—Section 1705 of title 38, United 

23 States Code, is amended— 

24 (1) in subsection (a)(3)— 


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1 (A) by striking ‘‘and veterans described’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘veterans described’’; and 

3 (B) by inserting ‘‘, and veterans assigned 

4 a temporary disability rating under section 

5 1156(a)(1)(E) of this title’’ after ‘‘of this title’’; 

6 and 

7 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub8 section (d): 

9 ‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary shall assist a veteran described 

10 in paragraph (3) in finding hospital care and medical serv11 ices to be provided to the veteran by non-Department fa12 cilities or providers after the Secretary ceases to furnish 

13 such care and services under this chapter to the veteran. 

14 ‘‘(2) A veteran described in paragraph (3) shall not 

15 owe the United States for any costs of hospital care or 

16 medical services described in subparagraph (A) of such 

17 paragraph. 

18 ‘‘(3) A veteran described in this paragraph is a vet19 eran who— 

20 ‘‘(A) received hospital care and medical services 

21 under this chapter pursuant to a temporary dis22 ability rating assigned under section 1156(a)(1)(E) 

23 of this title; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) the Secretary determines does not have a 

2 service-connected disability.’’. 

Æ 


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