I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1426 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans enrolled in 
the health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs the option 
of receiving covered health services through facilities other than those 
of the Department. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 9, 2007 
Mr. LATHAM (for himself, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. 
MILLER of Florida, and Mr. MCCOTTER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans 
enrolled in the health system of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs the option of receiving covered health serv-
ices through facilities other than those of the Depart-
ment. 
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 ‘‘Richard Helm Vet-
erans’ Access to Local Health Care Options and Resources 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR PAYMENTS TO FACILITIES 
OTHER THAN THE DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS 
AFFAIRS 
FOR 
COVERED 
HEALTH 
SERVICES. 
(a) REQUIREMENT TO AUTHORIZE RECEIPT OF COV-
ERED HEALTH SERVICES AT NON-DEPARTMENT FACILI-
TIES PURSUANT
TO CONTRACTS WITH SUCH FACILI-
TIES.—Subsection (a) of section 1703 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) An enrolled veteran may elect to receive covered 
health services through a non-Department facility. Such 
an election shall be made by submission to the Secretary 
of an application in accordance with such regulations as 
the Secretary prescribes. The Secretary shall authorize 
such services to be furnished to such veteran pursuant to 
contracting with such a facility to furnish such services 
to such a veteran, as authorized in section 1710 of this 
title.’’. 
(b) DESCRIPTIONS OF COVERED HEALTH SERVICES 
AND ENROLLED VETERANS.—Such section is further 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) For purposes of subsection (a)— 
‘‘(1) a covered health service is any hospital 
care, medical service, rehabilitative service, or pre-
ventative health service for which the veteran de-
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scribed in such subsection is eligible under this title; 
and 
‘‘(2) an enrolled veteran is a veteran who is en-
rolled in the system of patient enrollment established 
under section 1705(a) of this title.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall implement the amendments made by sub-
sections (a) and (b) in order for enrolled veterans de-
scribed in section 1703(e)(2) of title 38, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (b), to receive covered health 
services in accordance with section 1703(a) of such title, 
as amended by subsection (a), not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS PHARMACIES TO DISPENSE MEDICA-
TIONS TO VETERANS ON PRESCRIPTIONS 
WRITTEN BY PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS. 
Section 1712 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(f) Subject to section 1722A of this title, the Sec-
retary shall furnish to a veteran, through a Department 
health-care facility, such drugs and medicines as may be 
ordered on prescription of a duly licensed physician in the 
treatment of any illness or injury of the veteran provided 
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pursuant to the authority to contract with a non-Depart-
ment facility for such treatment under section 1703 of this 
title.’’. 
Æ 
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