II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2189 

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

Affairs to furnish hyperbaric oxygen therapy to certain veterans with 

traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 23, 2021 

Mr. TUBERVILLE (for himself, Mr. CRAMER, and Mr. HOEVEN) 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 direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish hyperbaric oxygen 

therapy to certain veterans with traumatic brain injury 

or post-traumatic stress disorder. 

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 ‘‘HBOT Access Act of 

5 2021’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The suicide rate among veterans is 18 per 

2 day. 

3 (2) Veterans are at a higher risk of suicide than 

4 the general population of the United States and 

5 Congress must provide continued support at the 

6 Federal, State, and local levels to combat the pan7 demic of veteran suicide. 

8 (3) Veterans deserve every opportunity to enjoy 

9 the freedom that they fought for overseas. 

10 (4) The Department of Veterans Affairs should 

11 consider and establish alternate treatments for trau12 matic brain injury and post-traumatic stress dis13 order that do not require prescription drugs, opioids, 

14 or invasive procedures. 

15 (5) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a proven 

16 treatment for symptoms of traumatic brain injury 

17 and post-traumatic stress disorder and should be ac18 cessible to veterans who are at a high-risk of suicide 

19 or self-harm. 

20 SEC. 3. HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FOR VETERANS 

21 WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY OR POST22 TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. 

23 (a) HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FOR VET24 ERANS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 17 

2 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by in3 serting after section 1710E the following new sec4 tion: 

5 ‘‘§ 1710F. Traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic 

6 stress disorder: hyperbaric oxygen ther7 apy 

8 ‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall furnish 

9 hyperbaric oxygen therapy through a health care provider 

10 described in section 1703(c)(5) of this title to a veteran 

11 who— 

12 ‘‘(1) has a condition specified in subsection (b); 

13 ‘‘(2) is at a high risk of suicide or self harm, 

14 as determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

15 or the Secretary of Defense; and 

16 ‘‘(3) has used not fewer than two evidence17 based treatment options for such condition. 

18 ‘‘(b) COVERED CONDITIONS.—The conditions speci19 fied in this subsection are the following: 

20 ‘‘(1) Traumatic brain injury. 

21 ‘‘(2) Post-traumatic stress disorder.’’. 

22 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec23 tions at the beginning of such subchapter is amend24 ed by inserting after the item relating to section 

25 1710E the following new item: 


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‘‘1710F. Traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder: hyperbaric 

oxygen therapy.’’. 

1 (b) INCLUSION OF INFORMATION IN STUDY.—Sec2 tion 702(d) of the Commander John Scott Hannon Vet3 erans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 

4 (Public Law 116–171; 134 Stat. 828) is amended— 

5 (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘under sec6 tion 1710F of title 38, United States Code, or’’ be7 fore ‘‘through’’; and 

8 (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘under sec9 tion 1710F of title 38, United States Code, or’’ be10 fore ‘‘through’’. 

Æ 


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