I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6185 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve health care for veterans, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 
Ms. HARRIS (for herself, Mr. SIMMONS, and Mr. BISHOP of Georgia) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve health 
care for veterans, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, 
UNITED STATES CODE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Veterans Health Care Act of 2006’’. 
(b) REFERENCES.—Except as otherwise expressly 
provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal 
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is expressed in terms of an amendment or repeal to a sec-
tion or other provision, the reference shall be considered 
to be made to a section or other provision of title 38, 
United States Code. 
(c) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; references to title 38, United States Code; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Care for newborn children of women veterans receiving maternity care. 
Sec. 3. Enhancement of payer provisions for Health care furnished to certain 
children of Vietnam veterans. 
Sec. 4. Improvements to homeless veterans service providers programs. 
Sec. 5. Additional mental Health providers. 
Sec. 6. Pay comparability for chief nursing officer, office of nursing services. 
Sec. 7. Cost comparison studies. 
Sec. 8. Improvements and expansion of mental Health services. 
Sec. 9. Disclosure of medical records. 
Sec. 10. Expansion of National Guard Outreach Program. 
Sec. 11. Expansion of telehealth services. 
Sec. 12. Mental Health data sources report. 
Sec. 13. Veterans travel reimbursement for health care. 
Sec. 14. Blind rehabilitation outpatient Specialists. 
Sec. 15. Compliance report. 
Sec. 16. Health care and services for veterans affected by Hurricane Katrina. 
Sec. 17. Reimbursement for certain veterans’ outstanding emergency treatment 
expenses. 
Sec. 18. Conveyance of Federal land in exchange for fair market value consider-
ation. 
Sec. 19. Technical and clerical amendments. 
SEC. 2. CARE FOR NEWBORN CHILDREN OF WOMEN VET-
ERANS RECEIVING MATERNITY CARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 17 is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1786. Care for newborn children of women vet-
erans receiving maternity care 
‘‘The Secretary may furnish care to a newborn child 
of a woman veteran, who is receiving maternity care fur-
nished by the Department, for not more than 14 days 
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after the birth of the child if the veteran delivered the child 
in a Department facility or in another facility pursuant 
to a Department contract for the delivery services.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1786. Care for newborn children of women veterans receiving maternity care.’’. 
SEC. 
3. 
ENHANCEMENT 
OF 
PAYER 
PROVISIONS 
FOR 
HEALTH 
CARE 
FURNISHED 
TO 
CERTAIN 
CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS. 
(a) HEALTH CARE FOR SPINA BIFIDA AND ASSOCI-
ATED DISABILITIES.—Section 1803 is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing new subsection (c): 
‘‘(c)(1) If a payment made by the Secretary for 
health care under this section is less than the amount 
billed for such health care, the health care provider or 
agent of the health care provider may, in accordance with 
paragraphs (2) through (4), seek payment for the dif-
ference between the amount billed and the amount paid 
by the Secretary from a responsible third party to the ex-
tent that the provider or agent would be eligible to receive 
payment for such health care from such third party. 
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‘‘(2) The health care provider or agent may not im-
pose any additional charge on the beneficiary who received 
the health care, or the family of such beneficiary, for any 
service or item for which the Secretary has made payment 
under this section. 
‘‘(3) The total amount of payment a health care pro-
vider or agent may receive for health care furnished under 
this section may not exceed the amount billed to the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary, upon request, shall disclose to 
such third party information received for the purposes of 
carrying out this section.’’. 
(b) HEALTH CARE FOR BIRTH DEFECTS AND ASSO-
CIATED DISABILITIES.—Section 1813 is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing new subsection (c): 
‘‘(c)(1) If payment made by the Secretary for health 
care under this section is less than the amount billed for 
such health care, the health care provider or agent of the 
health care provider may, in accordance with paragraphs 
(2) through (4), seek payment for the difference between 
the amount billed and the amount paid by the Secretary 
from a responsible third party to the extent that the pro-
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vider or agent would be eligible to receive payment for 
such health care from such third party. 
‘‘(2) The health care provider or agent may not im-
pose any additional charge on the beneficiary who received 
health care, or the family of such beneficiary, for any serv-
ice or item for which the Secretary has made payment 
under this section. 
‘‘(3) The total amount of payment a health care pro-
vider or agent may receive for health care furnished under 
this section may not exceed the amount billed to the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary, upon request, shall disclose to 
such third party information received for the purposes of 
carrying out this section.’’. 
SEC. 4. IMPROVEMENTS TO HOMELESS VETERANS SERVICE 
PROVIDERS PROGRAMS. 
(a) PERMANENT AUTHORITY.—Section 2011(a) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘(1)’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (2). 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR 
HOMELESS VETERANS.—Section 2013 is amended to 
read as follows: 
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