Title: SERVICE Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Show Esteem and Respect for Veterans by Increasing Care and Equity Act or the SERVICE Act
This bill provides eligibility for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for any mental illness through the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations. Specifically, combat veterans are eligible for such care regardless of (1) whether there is insufficient medical evidence to conclude such illness is service-connected, and (2) time limitations based on discharge or release from active military service.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1594 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1594

    To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited 
eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat 
         service during certain periods of hostilities and war.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2019

 Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Mr. Crapo) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited 
eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat 
         service during certain periods of hostilities and war.

    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 ``Show Esteem and Respect for Veterans 
by Increasing Care and Equity Act'' or the ``SERVICE Act''.

SEC. 2. UNLIMITED ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR MENTAL ILLNESSES FOR 
              VETERANS OF COMBAT SERVICE DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF 
              HOSTILITIES AND WAR.

    (a) Eligibility.--Section 1710(e)(1) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(G) Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3), a veteran who served 
on active duty in a theater of combat operations (as determined by the 
Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense) during World 
War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, the Persian Gulf War, 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, or any other 
period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or in combat against a 
hostile force during a period in which hostilities are occurring in 
that area, is eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing 
home care under subsection (a)(2)(F) for any mental illness, 
notwithstanding that there is insufficient medical evidence to conclude 
that such illness is attributable to such service.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Subparagraph (G) of section 1710(e)(1) of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply 
with respect to hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care 
provided on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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