I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4154 

To direct the Under Secretary of Health of the Department of Veterans 

Affairs to contact certain veterans to encourage such veterans to receive 

medical examinations furnished or paid for by the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 2, 2019 

Mrs. LEE of Nevada (for herself and Mr. WATKINS) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Under Secretary of Health of the Department 

of Veterans Affairs to contact certain veterans to encourage such veterans to receive medical examinations furnished or paid for by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

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 ‘‘Leave no Veteran Be5 hind Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS FOR CERTAIN VETERANS. 

7 (a) NOTICE.—Not later than 90 days after the date 

8 of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4154 IH

1 Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall seek 

2 to contact each covered veteran by mail, telephone, or 

3 email to encourage each covered veteran to receive medical 

4 examinations including the following: 

5 (1) A comprehensive physical examination. 

6 (2) A comprehensive mental health examina7 tion. 

8 (3) A comprehensive eye examination if the cov9 ered veteran has not received such an examination 

10 in the year immediately preceding the date of such 

11 examination. 

12 (4) A comprehensive audiological examination if 

13 the covered veteran has not received such an exam14 ination in the year immediately preceding the date 

15 of such examination. 

16 (b) EXAMINATIONS.— 

17 (1) VA HEALTH CARE FACILITIES.—If a cov18 ered veteran elects to receive more than one exam19 ination described in subsection (a) at a health care 

20 facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 

21 Under Secretary of Health shall seek to furnish all 

22 such scheduled examinations on the same day. 

23 (2) COMMUNITY CARE.—Pursuant to subsection 

24 (d) or (e) of section 1703 of title 38, United States 

25 Code, a covered veteran may receive an examination 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4154 IH

1 described in subsection (a) from a health care pro2 vider described in subsection (c) of that section. 

3 (c) TRANSPORTATION.— 

4 (1) BENEFICIARY TRAVEL PROGRAM.—Pursu5 ant to section 111 of title 38, United States Code, 

6 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may pay for a 

7 rural covered veteran to travel to a health care facil8 ity to receive an examination described in subsection 

9 (a). 

10 (2) SHUTTLE SERVICE.—The Under Secretary 

11 of Health shall seek to enter into agreements with 

12 non-profit organizations to provide shuttle service to 

13 rural covered veterans for examinations described in 

14 subsection (a). 

15 (d) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 18 months 

16 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

17 of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report re18 garding how many covered veterans scheduled examina19 tions described in subsection (a) after receiving a letter, 

20 telephone call, or email under that subsection. 

21 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

22 (1) The term ‘‘covered veteran’’ means a vet23 eran who— 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4154 IH

1 (A) is enrolled in the system of annual pa2 tient enrollment under section 1705 of title 38, 

3 United States Code; and 

4 (B) has not received health care furnished 

5 or paid for by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

6 during the two years immediately preceding the 

7 date in subsection (a)(1). 

8 (2) The term ‘‘rural covered veteran’’ means a 

9 covered veteran— 

10 (A) who lives in an area served by the Of11 fice of Rural Health of the Department of Vet12 erans Affairs; and 

13 (B) whom the Under Secretary of Health 

14 determines requires assistance to travel to a 

15 health care facility to receive an examination 

16 described in subsection (a). 

17 (3) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 

18 that term in section 101 of title 38, United States 

19 Code. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS