Title: Transparency for Wounded Warriors Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Transparency for Wounded Warriors Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide specified information to a member of the uniformed services regarding a denial for traumatic injury benefits under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program. Specifically, the bill requires the VA to provide the member with (1) the reason for the denial, including a description of all the information upon which the denial is based; and (2) an explanation and citation of the applicable laws, regulations, or policies upon which the denial is based. The bill also requires the VA to provide each favorable finding, which shall be binding on all subsequent reviews or appeals of the denial unless clear and convincing evidence is provided to rebut the finding.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8813 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8813

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to provide to a member of the uniformed services who 
  is denied a traumatic injury protection claim under Servicemembers' 
    Group Life Insurance certain information related to that denial.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 24, 2020

Mr. Kildee (for himself and Mr. Bergman) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to provide to a member of the uniformed services who 
  is denied a traumatic injury protection claim under Servicemembers' 
    Group Life Insurance certain information related to that denial.

    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 ``Transparency for Wounded Warriors 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DENIAL OF CLAIMS FOR TRAUMATIC INJURY PROTECTION UNDER 
              SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.

    Section 1980A of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(l)(1) If a claim for benefits under this section is denied, the 
Secretary concerned shall provide to the member at the same time as the 
member is informed of such denial a description of the following:
            ``(A) Each reason for that denial, including a description 
        of all the information upon which the denial is based and a 
        description of the applicable laws, regulations, or policies, 
        with appropriate citations, and an explanation of how such 
        laws, regulations, or policies affected the denial.
            ``(B) Each finding that is favorable to the member.
    ``(2) Any finding favorable to the member as described in paragraph 
(1)(B) shall be binding on all subsequent reviews or appeals of the 
denial of the claim, unless clear and convincing evidence is shown to 
the contrary to rebut such favorable finding.''.
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