Veterans Preventive Health Coverage Fairness Act
Bill: S.1779 | Sponsor: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy (D-IL)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veterans Preventive Health Coverage Fairness Act
This bill eliminates veterans' copayments for medication, hospital care, and medical services related to preventive health services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The bill expands the definition of preventive health services to include (1) evidence-based items or services that have an A or B rating in the recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force; (2) immunizations that have a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to the individual involved; and (3) with respect to women, the preventive care and screenings provided for in the Health Resources and Services Administration Preventive Services Guidelines in effect as of the date of enactment of this bill.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate copayments by the 
  Department of Veterans Affairs for medicines relating to preventive 
                health services, 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 ``Veterans Preventive Health Coverage 
Fairness Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT TO PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES FURNISHED BY 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Elimination of Medication Copayments.--Section 1722A(a)(3) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``or'';
            (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(E) to medication that is or is part of a preventive 
        health service.''.
    (b) Elimination of Hospital Care and Medical Services Copayments.--
Section 1710 of such title is amended--
            (1) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph 
                (6); and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following 
                new paragraph (5):
    ``(5) A veteran shall not be liable to the United States under this 
subsection for any amounts for preventive health services.''; and
            (2) in subsection (g)(3), by adding at the end the 
        following new subparagraph:
            ``(C) Preventive health services.''.
    (c) Definition.--Section 1701(9) of such title is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``; and'' and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (L) as subparagraph (O); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (K) the following new 
        subparagraphs:
                    ``(L) evidence-based items or services that have in 
                effect a rating of `A' or `B' in the current 
                recommendations of the United States Preventive 
                Services Task Force;
                    ``(M) immunizations that have in effect a 
                recommendation from the Advisory Committee on 
                Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease 
                Control and Prevention with respect to the individual 
                involved;
                    ``(N) with respect to services for women, the 
                preventive care and screenings provided for in the 
                Health Resources and Services Administration Women's 
                Preventive Services Guidelines in effect as of the date 
                of the enactment of the Veterans Preventive Health 
                Coverage Fairness Act, or successor similar guidelines; 
                and''.
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