SAVE LIVES Act
Bill: S.682 | Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon (D-MT)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize all Veterans and Every Spouse Act or the SAVE LIVES Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccine to covered individuals during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Under the bill, covered individuals are
The VA must prioritize the vaccination of (1) veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system, (2) veterans who fail to enroll but receive hospital care and medical services for specified disabilities in their first 12 months of separation from service, and (3) caregivers accompanying such prioritized veterans.
Under the bill, the VA is authorized to offer a vaccine to the spouse of a veteran near the same time the veteran receives the vaccine.

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish a vaccine for 
  COVID-19 to certain individuals who are not enrolled in the patient 
        enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    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 ``Strengthening and Amplifying 
Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize all Veterans and Every Spouse 
Act'' or the ``SAVE LIVES Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO FURNISH COVID-19 
              VACCINE TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS NOT ENROLLED IN PATIENT 
              ENROLLMENT SYSTEM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may furnish a 
vaccine for COVID-19 to a covered individual during the COVID-19 public 
health emergency.
    (b) Prioritization.--In furnishing vaccines for COVID-19 under the 
laws administered by the Secretary, the Secretary shall--
            (1) prioritize the vaccination of veterans who are enrolled 
        in the patient enrollment system, veterans who receive hospital 
        care and medical services pursuant to subsection (c)(2) of 
        section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, and accompanying 
        caregivers of such veterans before the vaccination of covered 
        individuals not otherwise described in this paragraph; and
            (2) only furnish vaccines for COVID-19 to covered 
        individuals under this section to the extent that such vaccines 
        are available.
    (c) Timing of Vaccines Provided to Spouses of Veterans.--To the 
extent practicable, the Secretary may offer a vaccine for COVID-19 
under this section to the spouse of a veteran to permit the provision 
of the vaccine to the spouse near the same time that the veteran 
receives such vaccine from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
    (d) Vaccine Allocation.--It is the sense of Congress that, to the 
extent practicable based on the current national supply chain, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services should adjust the allocation for 
the Department of Veterans Affairs for the vaccine for COVID-19 based 
on the additional eligibility of covered individuals under this 
section.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Accompanying caregiver.--The term ``accompanying 
        caregiver'' means a caregiver described in subparagraph (D), 
        (E), or (F) of paragraph (2) who is accompanying a veteran who 
        is receiving a vaccine for COVID-19 furnished by the 
        Department.
            (2) Covered individual.--The term ``covered individual'' 
        means any of the following individuals:
                    (A) A veteran who is not eligible to enroll in the 
                patient enrollment system.
                    (B) A veteran who is eligible for care under 
                section 1724 of title 38, United States Code.
                    (C) A beneficiary under section 1781 of such title.
                    (D) A family caregiver of a veteran participating 
                in the program of comprehensive assistance for family 
                caregivers under section 1720G(a) of such title.
                    (E) A caregiver of a veteran participating in the 
                program of general caregiver support services under 
                section 1720G(b) of such title.
                    (F) A caregiver of a veteran participating in the 
                Medical Foster Home Program, Bowel and Bladder Program, 
                Home Based Primary Care Program, or Veteran Directed 
                Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
                    (G) A spouse of a veteran.
            (3) Covered public health emergency.--The term ``covered 
        public health emergency'' means an emergency with respect to 
        COVID-19 declared by a Federal, State, or local authority.
            (4) COVID-19.--The term ``COVID-19'' means the coronavirus 
        disease 2019.
            (5) Patient enrollment system.--The term ``patient 
        enrollment system'' means the system of annual patient 
        enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs established 
        and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States 
        Code.
            (6) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code.
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