I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 635 

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

Affairs to enter into contracts with community health care providers 

to improve access to health care for veterans in highly rural areas, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 13, 2013 

Mr. PEARCE (for himself, Mr. TIPTON, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. FORBES, 

Mr. HARRIS, Mr. HALL, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, 

Mr. FLORES, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. 

RAHALL, Mr. JONES, Mr. GOSAR, and Mr. POSEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with 

community health care providers to improve access to 

health care for veterans in highly rural areas, 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 ‘‘Help Establish Access 

5 to Local Timely Healthcare for Your Vets Act of 2013’’ 

6 or the ‘‘HEALTHY Vets Act of 2013’’. 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 635 IH

1 SEC. 2. ENHANCED CONTRACT CARE AUTHORITY FOR 

2 HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF VETERANS IN HIGH3 LY RURAL AREAS. 

4 (a) RURAL VETERANS.—Section 1703 of title 38, 

5 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

6 following new subsection: 

7 ‘‘(e)(1) In the case of a veteran for whom Depart8 ment facilities are geographically inaccessible (as provided 

9 in paragraph (2)), the Secretary shall use the contract au10 thority provided in subsection (a) for the following care: 

11 ‘‘(A) Primary care. 

12 ‘‘(B) Acute or chronic symptom management. 

13 ‘‘(C) Nontherapeutic medical services. 

14 ‘‘(D) Other medical services as determined ap15 propriate by the director of the appropriate geo16 graphic service region of the Department, after con17 sultation with the Department physician responsible 

18 for primary care of the veteran. 

19 ‘‘(2) Department facilities shall be deemed to be geo20 graphically inaccessible for purposes of paragraph (1) in 

21 the case of a veteran whose residence meets any of the 

22 following criteria: 

23 ‘‘(A) The residence is in a county with a popu24 lation density of less than 7.0 people per square mile 

25 and is more than 75 miles from the nearest Depart26 ment health care facility. 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 635 IH

1 ‘‘(B) The residence is in a county with a popu2 lation density of more than 7.0 and less than 8.0 

3 people per square mile and is more than 100 miles 

4 from the nearest Department health care facility. 

5 ‘‘(C) The residence is in a county with a popu6 lation density of more than 8.0 and less than 9.0 

7 people per square mile and is more than 125 miles 

8 from the nearest Department health care facility. 

9 ‘‘(D) The residence is more than 150 miles 

10 from the nearest Department health care facility. 

11 ‘‘(3) The Secretary may waive the requirement in 

12 paragraph (1) in the case of a particular veteran if the 

13 Secretary demonstrates on an individual basis through a 

14 cost-benefit analysis that the costs to the Department of 

15 providing care to that veteran pursuant to paragraph (1) 

16 significantly outweigh the benefits of localized health care 

17 for the individual veteran. 

18 ‘‘(4) For purposes of paragraph (2), a distance in 

19 miles shall be determined on the basis of the most conven20 ient highway route that is available to the veteran, as de21 termined by the Secretary.’’. 

22 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (e) of section 

23 1703 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subVerDate Mar 15 2010 04:48 Feb 20, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H635.IH H635

pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 635 IH

1 section (a), shall take effect on the date that is 120 days 

2 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS