Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition Act
Bill: H.R.4673 | Sponsor: Rep. Takano, Mark (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition Act or the EVEST Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to automatically enroll veterans who are eligible for VA health care into the VA health care system upon the receipt of information from the Defense Manpower Data Center of the Department of Defense that proves eligibility of such veterans for enrollment.
The VA must provide a veteran notice that the veteran has been enrolled, instructions on how the veteran may elect to opt out of such enrollment, and instructions for how such veteran may elect to enroll at a later date.
Notice or instructions must be provided in a physical copy and, as is practical, in an electronic copy. Additionally, the VA must consider using mass texting capabilities to provide the notice and relevant instructions required by this bill.
The provisions of the bill apply to veterans who are discharged or separated from the Armed Forces on or after the date that is 90 days before this bill's enactment.
Any veteran who is eligible for automatic enrollment must be able to access an electronic version of the certificate of eligibility and an electronic mechanism to opt out of such enrollment.
The Government Accountability Office must report on the best methods for the VA to provide notice regarding a veteran's automatic enrollment in the VA health care system and related instructions.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the automatic 
    enrollment of eligible veterans in patient enrollment system of 
        Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition 
Act'' or the ``EVEST Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF ELIGIBLE VETERANS IN PATIENT ENROLLMENT 
              SYSTEM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d)(1) The Secretary shall enroll each veteran described in 
subsection (a) in the patient enrollment system under this section by 
not later than 60 days after receiving the information described in 
paragraph (3) with respect to the veteran.
    ``(2)(A) Not later than 60 days after enrolling a veteran under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide to the veteran--
            ``(i) notice of the veteran's enrollment;
            ``(ii) instructions for how the veteran may opt out of such 
        enrollment, at the election of the veteran; and
            ``(iii) instructions for how the veteran may elect to 
        enroll at a later date.
    ``(B) In carrying out subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
consider using, to the extent practical, mass texting capabilities 
through mobile telephones.
    ``(C) Any notice or instructions required to be provided under this 
paragraph shall be provided in the form of a physical copy delivered by 
mail and, to the extent practical, in the form of an electronic copy 
delivered by electronic mail.
    ``(3) The information described in this paragraph is the 
appropriate information concerning eligibility for enrollment in the 
patient enrollment system under this section, as provided by the 
Defense Manpower Data Center of the Department of Defense, or such 
successor entity of the Department.''.
    (b) Applicability.--Subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply to a 
veteran who is discharged or separated from the Armed Forces on or 
after the date that is 90 days before the date of the enactment of this 
Act and with respect to whom the Secretary receives the information 
described in paragraph (3) of such subsection on or after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
    (c) Electronic Certificates of Eligibility for Department of 
Veterans Affairs Patient Enrollment System.--Not later than August 1, 
2022, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that any veteran 
who is eligible for automatic enrollment in the patient enrollment 
system under subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (a), is able to access--
            (1) an electronic version of the certificate of eligibility 
        showing the veteran's eligibility for such enrollment; and
            (2) an electronic mechanism by which the veteran may opt 
        out of such enrollment.
    (d) Provision of Notice and Information.--The notice and 
instructions required to be provided under subsection (d)(2) of section 
1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall 
be provided in accordance with the established procedures of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to the provision of similar 
types of notices and instructions.
    (e) Report on Automatic Enrollment.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the first 
        veteran is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs under subsection (d) of section 
        1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 
        (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        enrollment process under such subsection. Such report shall 
        include each of the following:
                    (A) A discussion of any anticipated challenges that 
                occurred in implementing such subsection, the 
                strategies used to address such challenges, and the 
                effectiveness of such strategies.
                    (B) A discussion of any unanticipated challenges 
                that occurred in implementing such subsection, the 
                strategies used to address such challenges, and the 
                effectiveness of such strategies.
                    (C) Any additional information the Secretary 
                determines appropriate, including information that may 
                be useful to other Federal departments and agencies 
                considering the implementation of similar automatic 
                enrollment programs.
            (2) Form of report.--The report required under paragraph 
        (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a 
        classified annex.

SEC. 3. GAO REPORT ON NOTICE OF AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT IN PATIENT 
              ENROLLMENT SYSTEM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
Congress a report containing the results of a study to determine the 
best methods for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide notice 
under paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by section 2. In making such 
determination, the Comptroller General shall consider needs of veterans 
based on--
            (1) age;
            (2) residence in urban areas; and
            (3) residence in rural areas.

            Passed the House of Representatives January 20, 2022.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 4673

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