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Union Calendar No. 530 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 1527 

[Report No. 110–817] 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow highly rural veterans enrolled 

in the health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive 

covered health services through providers other than those of the Department, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 14, 2007 

Mr. MORAN of Kansas (for himself and Mr. LATHAM) introduced the following 

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

AUGUST 1, 2008 

Additional sponsors: Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. 

ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. TIAHRT, 

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. CAMP of Michigan, 

Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. TERRY, Mr. BOREN, Mr. KLINE of 

Minnesota, Mr. HARE, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mrs. BOYDA

of Kansas, Mr. WALDEN of Oregon, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. 

BUYER, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. SIMPSON, and Mr. 

SHUSTER

AUGUST 1, 2008 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 

on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

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[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 14, 2007] 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow highly 

rural veterans enrolled in the health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive covered health 

services through providers other than those of the Department, 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 ‘‘Rural Veterans Access 

5 to Care Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM OF ENHANCED CONTRACT CARE 

7 AUTHORITY FOR HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF 

8 VETERANS IN HIGHLY RURAL AREAS. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1703 of title 38, United 

10 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 

11 new subsection: 

12 ‘‘(e)(1) The Secretary shall conduct a pilot program 

13 which permits highly rural veterans— 

14 ‘‘(A) who are enrolled in the system of patient 

15 enrollment established under section 1705(a) of this 

16 title, and 

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1 ‘‘(B) who reside within Veterans Integrated Serv2 ice Network 1, 15, 18, and 19, 

3 to elect to receive covered health services for which such vet4 erans are eligible through a non-Department health-care 

5 provider. 

6 ‘‘(2) The election under paragraph (1) shall be made 

7 by submitting an application to the Secretary in accord8 ance with such regulations as the Secretary prescribes. The 

9 Secretary shall authorize such services to be furnished to 

10 the veteran pursuant to contracting with such a provider 

11 to furnish such services to such veteran. 

12 ‘‘(3) For purposes of this subsection, a highly rural 

13 veteran is one who— 

14 ‘‘(A) resides in a location that is— 

15 ‘‘(i) more than 60 miles driving distance 

16 from the nearest Department health-care facility 

17 providing primary care services, if the veteran is 

18 seeking such services; 

19 ‘‘(ii) more than 120 miles driving distance 

20 from the nearest Department health-care facility 

21 providing acute hospital care, if the veteran is 

22 seeking such care; or 

23 ‘‘(iii) more than 240 miles driving distance 

24 from the nearest Department health-care facility 

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1 providing tertiary care, if the veteran is seeking 

2 such care; or 

3 ‘‘(B) in the case of a veteran who resides in a 

4 location less than the distance indicated in clause (i), 

5 (ii), or (iii) of subparagraph (A), as applicable, expe6 riences such hardship or other difficulties in travel to 

7 the nearest appropriate Department health-care facil8 ity that such travel is not in the best interest of the 

9 veteran, as determined by the Secretary pursuant to 

10 regulations prescribed for purposes of this subsection. 

11 ‘‘(4) For purposes of this subsection, a covered health 

12 service is any hospital care, medical service, rehabilitative 

13 service, or preventative health service authorized to be pro14 vided by the Secretary under this chapter or any other pro15 vision of law. 

16 ‘‘(5) For purposes of this subsection, a health-care pro17 vider is any qualified entity or individual furnishing a cov18 ered health service. 

19 ‘‘(6) In meeting the requirements of this subsection, the 

20 Secretary shall develop the functional capability to provide 

21 for the exchange of medical information between the Depart22 ment and non-Department health-care providers. 

23 ‘‘(7) This subsection shall apply to covered health serv24 ices provided during the 3-year period beginning on the 

25 120th day after the date of the enactment of this subsection. 

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1 ‘‘(8) Not later than the 30th day after the close of each 

2 year of the period described in paragraph (7), the Secretary 

3 shall submit a report to the Committees of Veterans’ Affairs 

4 of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report 

5 which includes— 

6 ‘‘(A) the Secretary’s assessment of the program 

7 under this subsection, including its cost, volume, qual8 ity, patient satisfaction, benefit to veterans, and any 

9 other findings and conclusions of the Secretary with 

10 respect to such program, and 

11 ‘‘(B) any recommendations that the Secretary 

12 may have for— 

13 ‘‘(i) continuing the program, 

14 ‘‘(ii) extending the program to other or all 

15 service regions of the Department, and 

16 ‘‘(iii) making the program permanent.’’. 

17 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The Secretary of Veterans Af18 fairs shall implement the amendment made by subsection 

19 (a) not later than the 120th day after the date of the enact20 ment of this Act. 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to amend title 

38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot program to permit certain highly rural veterans enrolled in the health system 

of the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive covered 

health services through providers other than those of the 

Department.’’. 

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Union Calendar No. 530 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 1527 

[Report No. 110

–817] 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow 

other purposes. other than those of the Department, and for ceive covered health services through providers tem of the Department of Veterans Affairs to rehighly rural veterans enrolled in the health sysAUGUST 1, 2008 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 

dered to be printed of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ormstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS