I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5332 

To promote identification of veterans and their health needs in furnishing 

of items and services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 31, 2014 

Mr. CROWLEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 

Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To promote identification of veterans and their health needs 

in furnishing of items and services under the Medicare, 

Medicaid, and other programs, 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; FINDINGS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Serving America’s Veterans Effectively Act of 2014’’ or 

6 the ‘‘SAVE Act of 2014’’. 

7 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find8 ings: 

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1 (1) Veterans often have unique health needs 

2 that may be related to their service to the American 

3 people and may be more at risk for certain condi4 tions, including cancer, infectious diseases, musculo5 skeletal problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, 

6 traumatic brain injury, dermatological problems, re7 productive health issues, and other conditions. 

8 (2) As part of a detailed patient history, know9 ing whether or not a patient is a veteran helps a 

10 physician to make accurate treatment recommenda11 tions or carry out needed screenings. 

12 (3) If a physician is not aware that a patient 

13 is a veteran, the physician may not think to perform 

14 recommended screenings or be able to diagnose 

15 symptoms that at first seemed unconnected. As a re16 sult, the patient and the patient’s family may suffer 

17 as medical problems go undiagnosed or 

18 misdiagnosed. 

19 (4) Physicians routinely ask about similar types 

20 of patient history that can affect current health sta21 tus, such as whether a patient has a family history 

22 of certain conditions or was exposed to certain envi23 ronmental factors. Questions about veteran status 

24 give patients the opportunity to voluntarily answer 

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1 with information that can help their physicians bet2 ter establish a course of treatment. 

3 (5) Making the question of whether a patient 

4 served in the Armed Forces part of consistently used 

5 frameworks, such as the ‘‘Welcome to Medicare’’ 

6 physical examination and Medicare Electronic 

7 Health Record program, ensures that it will become 

8 part of clinicians’ routine for new patients. 

9 (6) While many physicians, such as those work10 ing at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, may 

11 already be aware of their patients’ experiences in the 

12 Armed Forces, there are indications that as much as 

13 70 percent of veterans seek care from other facili14 ties. 

15 (7) Many organizations serving both veterans 

16 and health care professionals currently work to edu17 cate health providers on the health needs of veterans 

18 and appropriate medical care that should be pro19 vided. Additional Federal support is needed to en20 sure that all physicians are properly prepared to di21 agnose and treat patients upon learning that they 

22 have served in the Armed Forces. 

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1 SEC. 2. ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE IDENTIFICATION AND 

2 AWARENESS OF VETERANS HEALTH NEEDS 

3 IN FURNISHING ITEMS AND SERVICES UNDER 

4 MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND OTHER PRO5 GRAMS. 

6 (a) INCLUSION OF VETERAN STATUS IN PATIENT IN7 FORMATION FOR MEANINGFUL USE OF ELECTRONIC

8 HEALTH RECORDS UNDER MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.— 

9 In establishing regulations regarding what constitutes 

10 meaningful use with respect electronic health records in 

11 applying sections 1848(o), 1853(m), 1886(b)(3)(B)(ix), 

12 and 1886(n)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

13 1395w–4(o), 1395w–23(m), 1395ww(b)(3)(B)(ix), 

14 1395ww(n)(3)) and related provisions of title XIX of such 

15 Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 

16 include in the patient information required for meaningful 

17 use whether or not the patient served in the Armed 

18 Forces. 

19 (b) IDENTIFICATION OF VETERANS AS PART OF IN20 DIVIDUAL HISTORY IN WELCOME TO MEDICARE VISIT.— 

21 In carrying out section 1861(ww) of the Social Security 

22 Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(ww)), the Secretary of Health and 

23 Human Services shall include, as a component of review24 ing an individual’s medical and social history under an ini25 tial preventive physical examination under section 410.16 

26 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, an inquiry as to 

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1 whether the individual served in the Armed Forces and 

2 any relevant circumstances relating to that individual’s 

3 service that may bear on the medical or social condition 

4 of that individual. 

5 (c) ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE AWARE6 NESS OF VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE NEEDS.—The Sec7 retary of Health and Human Services shall take such ad8 ditional actions, otherwise authorized under law, as may 

9 be appropriate to promote awareness, among non-govern10 mental physicians in their furnishing services, of the spe11 cial circumstances and health care needs of veterans. 

12 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR PROVIDER EDUCATION ON HEALTH 

13 TREATMENT FOR VETERANS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

15 Human Services may make grants to organizations for the 

16 purpose of educating health care providers on appropriate 

17 health care treatment for patients who have served in the 

18 Armed Forces. Such grants shall be awarded under such 

19 terms and conditions as the Secretary shall specify. 

20 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

21 are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 to carry 

22 out this section, which shall remain available until ex23 pended. 

Æ 

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