IB 
Union Calendar No. 104
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1562
[Report No. 108–114, Part I] 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the authority of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to recover costs of medical care furnished 
to veterans and other persons by the Department from third parties 
that provide health insurance coverage to such veterans and other per-
sons. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 2, 2003
Mr. BEAUPREZ (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. EVANS, Mr. SIM-
MONS, and Mr. RODRIGUEZ) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
MAY 19, 2003 
Reported with amendments and referred to the Committee on Ways and 
Means for a period ending not later than May 23, 2003, for consideration 
of such provisions of the bill and amendments as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of that committee pursuant to clause 1(s), rule X 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
MAY 23, 2003
Referral to the Committee on Ways and Means extended for a period ending 
not later than June 13, 2003
JUNE 13, 2003
Referral to the Committee on Ways and Means extended for a period ending 
not later than June 27, 2003
JUNE 27, 2003
Referral to the Committee on Ways and Means extended for a period ending 
not later than July 11, 2003
JULY 11, 2003
Committee on Ways and Means discharged; committed to the Committee of 
the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 2, 2003] 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the 
authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to re-
cover costs of medical care furnished to veterans and 
other persons by the Department from third parties that 
provide health insurance coverage to such veterans and 
other persons.
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 
Cost Recovery Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS TO RECOVER MEDICAL COSTS FROM 
THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS AS IF IT IS A PRE-
FERRED PROVIDER ORGANIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1729(f) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new sentence: ‘‘The absence of a participation agreement 
or other contractual arrangement entered into by the Sec-
retary with a person obligated to provide, or to pay, the 
expenses of health services under a health-plan contract or
with a third party that is a preferred provider organization 
may not be used or operate to prevent, or reduce the amount 
of, any such recovery or collection by the United States.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply only with respect to care and services 
furnished under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, 
on and after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. RECOVERY OF COSTS OF HEALTH CARE AND SERV-
ICES PROVIDED TO PERSONS OTHER THAN 
VETERANS. 
(a) COST RECOVERY.—Section 1729 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(j)(1) Whenever the Secretary furnishes care and serv-
ices to a person other than a veteran, the United States 
shall have the right to recover or collect charges for such 
care or services in the same manner, and to the same extent, 
as is provided under this section for care and services fur-
nished to a veteran, except that for such purpose the terms 
‘health-plan contract’ and ‘third-party’ shall have the 
meanings set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively, 
of section 1725(f) of this title. 
‘‘(2) The amounts of charges under paragraph (1) shall 
be in such amounts as the Secretary may prescribe by regu-
lation.’’.
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Subsection (a)(2) of 
such section is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph 
(C); and 
(2) by striking subparagraphs (D) and (E) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(D) that is incurred by a veteran who is enti-
tled to care (or payment of the expenses of care)
under a health-plan contract, but, in the case of a 
veteran who has a service-connected disability, only 
with respect to care and services furnished before Oc-
tober 1, 2007.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply only with respect to care and services 
furnished under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, 
on and after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
HEALTH CARE FACILITY, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 
The Department of Veterans Affairs health care facility 
located at 820 South Damen Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, 
shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known 
and designated as the ‘‘Jesse Brown Department of Veterans 
Affairs Medical Center’’. Any reference to such facility in 
any law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record 
of the United States shall be considered to be a reference
to the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
Center. 
SEC. 5. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
OUTPATIENT CLINIC, NEW LONDON, CON-
NECTICUT. 
The Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic 
located in New London, Connecticut, shall after the date 
of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as 
the ‘‘John J. McGuirk Department of Veterans Affairs Out-
patient Clinic’’. Any reference to such outpatient clinic in 
any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other paper 
of the United States shall be considered to be a reference 
to the John J. McGuirk Department of Veterans Affairs 
Outpatient Clinic.
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to amend title 
38, United States Code, to enhance the authority of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to recover costs of med-
ical care furnished to veterans and other persons by the 
Department from third parties that provide health insur-
ance coverage to such veterans and other persons, and 
for other purposes.’’.
Union Calendar No. 104
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1562
[Report No. 108–114, Part I] 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance 
the authority of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs to recover costs of medical care furnished to 
veterans and other persons by the Department 
from third parties that provide health insurance 
coverage to such veterans and other persons. 
JULY 11, 2003
Committee on Ways and Means discharged; committed to 
the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
Union and ordered to be printed