I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3176 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 
to improve the ability of veterans to access medical care in medical 
facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and in the community 
by providing the veterans the ability to choose health care providers. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 10, 2023 
Mr. BIGGS (for himself, Mr. ROSENDALE, Mr. GOOD of Virginia, Mr. 
GIMENEZ, Ms. SALAZAR, Mr. ROY, Mr. CRANE, Mrs. BOEBERT, Ms. 
HAGEMAN, Mr. TIFFANY, Mrs. LUNA, Mrs. LESKO, Mr. CLYDE, Mr. 
OGLES, and Mr. BRECHEEN) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
a pilot program to improve the ability of veterans to 
access medical care in medical facilities of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs and in the community by pro-
viding the veterans the ability to choose health care 
providers. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Health Care 
Freedom Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON ABILITY OF VETERANS TO 
CHOOSE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, acting through the Center for Innovation for 
Care and Payment, shall carry out a pilot program 
to improve the ability of eligible veterans to access 
hospital care, medical services, and extended care 
services through the covered care system by pro-
viding the eligible veterans the ability to choose 
health care providers. 
(2) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall select a 
minimum of four Veterans Integrated Service Net-
works in which to carry out the pilot program under 
paragraph (1). In making such selection, the Sec-
retary shall ensure that the pilot program is carried 
out in varied geographic areas that include both 
rural and urban locations. 
(b) REMOVAL OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS TO AC-
CESS CARE.—In carrying out the pilot program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall furnish hospital care, 
medical services, and extended care services to eligible vet-
erans through the covered care system as follows: 
(1) At medical facilities of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, regardless of whether the facility is 
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in the same Veterans Integrated Service Network as 
the Network in which the veteran resides. 
(2) At non-Department facilities pursuant to, 
as appropriate— 
(A) section 1703 of title 38, United States 
Code, without regard to the requirements speci-
fied in subsection (d) of such section; or 
(B) section 1703A of such title, without re-
gard to the requirements specified in subsection 
(a)(1)(C) of such section. 
(c) ELECTION
OF VETERAN.—In accordance with 
subsections (d) and (e), an eligible veteran participating 
in the pilot program may elect to receive hospital care, 
medical services, and extended care services at any pro-
vider in the covered care system. 
(d) COORDINATION OF CARE.— 
(1) SELECTION.—Each eligible veteran partici-
pating in the pilot program shall select a primary 
care provider in the covered care system. The pri-
mary care provider shall— 
(A) coordinate with the Secretary and 
other health care providers the hospital care, 
medical services, and extended care services fur-
nished to the veteran under the pilot program; 
and 
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(B) refer the veteran to specialty care pro-
viders in the covered care system, as clinically 
necessary. 
(2) SYSTEMS.—The Secretary shall establish 
systems as the Secretary determines appropriate to 
ensure that a primary care provider can effectively 
coordinate the hospital care, medical services, and 
extended care services furnished to a veteran under 
the pilot program. 
(e) SPECIALTY CARE.— 
(1) ACCESS.—Subject to subsection (d)(1)(B), 
an eligible veteran participating in the pilot program 
may select any specialty care provider in the covered 
care system from which to receive specialty care. 
(2) DESIGNATION.—The Secretary may des-
ignate a specialty care provider as a primary care 
provider of an eligible veteran participating in the 
pilot program if the Secretary determines that such 
designation is in the health interests of the veteran 
(such as an endocrinologist with respect to a veteran 
diagnosed with diabetes, a neurologist with respect 
to a veteran diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, or 
an obstetrician-gynecologist with respect to a female 
veteran). 
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(f) MENTAL HEALTH CARE.—An eligible veteran 
participating in the pilot program may select a mental 
health care provider in the covered care system from which 
to receive mental health care. 
(g) INFORMATION.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram, the Secretary shall furnish to eligible veterans the 
information on eligibility, cost sharing, treatments, and 
providers required for veterans to make informed decisions 
with respect to— 
(1) selecting primary care providers and spe-
cialty care providers; and 
(2) treatments available to the veteran. 
(h) DURATION.— 
(1) PHASE IN.—The Secretary shall carry out 
the pilot program during the three-year period be-
ginning on the date that is one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) PERMANENT REQUIREMENT.— 
(A) VETERANS
COMMUNITY
CARE
PRO-
GRAM.—Section 1703(d) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The 
Secretary shall’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as 
provided by paragraph (4), the Secretary 
shall’’; and 
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