I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5131 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse non-Department 
of Veterans Affairs medical providers for the provision of certain hospital 
care and medical services to veterans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2014 
Ms. GABBARD (for herself and Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse 
non-Department of Veterans Affairs medical providers 
for the provision of certain hospital care and medical 
services to 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Access to Care and 
Treatment Now for Veterans Act’’ or the ‘‘ACT Now for 
Veterans Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REIMBURSEMENT OF NON-DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL PROVIDERS FOR 
THE PROVISION OF CERTAIN HOSPITAL CARE 
AND MEDICAL SERVICES TO VETERANS. 
(a) REIMBURSEMENT REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall reimburse any non-Department 
medical provider, including such a provider who has not 
been pre-approved by the Secretary, who furnishes covered 
hospital care or medical services to an eligible veteran. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘eligible veteran’’ means a vet-
eran who— 
(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment 
system under section 1705 of title 38, United 
States Code, and provides a Department of Vet-
erans Affairs identification card or proof of 
such enrollment; 
(B) is eligible to receive hospital care or 
medical services furnished by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs; and 
(C) attempts or has attempted to schedule 
an appointment at a Department of Veterans 
Affairs facility to receive such care or services 
but has been unable to schedule such appoint-
ment within 30 days of the date preferred by 
the veteran. 
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(2) The term ‘‘covered hospital care or medical 
services’’ means, with respect to an eligible veteran, 
hospital care or medical services (as such terms are 
defined in section 1701 of title 38, United States 
Code) for which the veteran is eligible under chapter 
17 of title 38, United States Code. 
(c) TERMINATION.—The authority under this section 
shall terminate on— 
(1) in the case that, before the date that is one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary submits to Congress certification that the 
Veterans Health Administration is meeting wait-time 
goals established by the Secretary, the date that is 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act; 
or 
(2) in the case that the Secretary does not sub-
mit such certification before such date, the date that 
is two years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall begin 
implementing this section on the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
Æ 
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