I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5131 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse non-Department 

of Veterans Affairs medical providers for the provision of certain hospital 

care and medical services to veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 17, 2014 

Ms. GABBARD (for herself and Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois) introduced the 

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

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse 

non-Department of Veterans Affairs medical providers 

for the provision of certain hospital care and medical 

services to veterans, 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 ‘‘Access to Care and 

5 Treatment Now for Veterans Act’’ or the ‘‘ACT Now for 

6 Veterans Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REIMBURSEMENT OF NON-DEPARTMENT OF VET2 ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL PROVIDERS FOR 

3 THE PROVISION OF CERTAIN HOSPITAL CARE 

4 AND MEDICAL SERVICES TO VETERANS. 

5 (a) REIMBURSEMENT REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 

6 Veterans Affairs shall reimburse any non-Department 

7 medical provider, including such a provider who has not 

8 been pre-approved by the Secretary, who furnishes covered 

9 hospital care or medical services to an eligible veteran. 

10 (b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 

11 (1) The term ‘‘eligible veteran’’ means a vet12 eran who— 

13 (A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment 

14 system under section 1705 of title 38, United 

15 States Code, and provides a Department of Vet16 erans Affairs identification card or proof of 

17 such enrollment; 

18 (B) is eligible to receive hospital care or 

19 medical services furnished by the Secretary of 

20 Veterans Affairs; and 

21 (C) attempts or has attempted to schedule 

22 an appointment at a Department of Veterans 

23 Affairs facility to receive such care or services 

24 but has been unable to schedule such appoint25 ment within 30 days of the date preferred by 

26 the veteran. 


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•HR 5131 IH

1 (2) The term ‘‘covered hospital care or medical 

2 services’’ means, with respect to an eligible veteran, 

3 hospital care or medical services (as such terms are 

4 defined in section 1701 of title 38, United States 

5 Code) for which the veteran is eligible under chapter 

6 17 of title 38, United States Code. 

7 (c) TERMINATION.—The authority under this section 

8 shall terminate on— 

9 (1) in the case that, before the date that is one 

10 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

11 Secretary submits to Congress certification that the 

12 Veterans Health Administration is meeting wait-time 

13 goals established by the Secretary, the date that is 

14 one year after the date of the enactment of this Act; 

15 or 

16 (2) in the case that the Secretary does not sub17 mit such certification before such date, the date that 

18 is two years after the date of the enactment of this 

19 Act. 

20 (d) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall begin 

21 implementing this section on the date of the enactment 

22 of this Act. 

Æ 


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