Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act of 2013

Bill: 113-hr-958
Sponsor: Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
Introduced: 2013-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Adoption and foster care
Child care and development
Congressional oversight
Department of Veterans Affairs
Government information and archives
Health care coverage and access
Medical research
Mental health
Public contracts and procurement
Research administration and funding
Sex and reproductive health
Small business
User charges and fees
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2013-03-05
text: 
Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act of 2013 - Includes fertility counseling and treatment within authorized Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical services. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish such counseling and treatment, including the use of assisted reproductive technology, to a spouse or surrogate of a severely wounded, ill, or injured veteran who has an infertility condition incurred or aggravated in the line of duty and who is enrolled in the VA health care system, as long as the spouse and veteran apply jointly for such counseling and treatment.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to pay to any such veteran an amount to assist in the adoption of one or more children.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) report annually to the congressional veterans committees on the counseling and treatment provided under this Act; (2) prescribe regulations on the furnishing of such counseling, treatment, and adoption assistance; and (3) coordinate the furnishing of such counseling and treatment with that provided by the Department of Defense (DOD).
 
Directs the Secretary to facilitate research conducted collaboratively by the Secretaries of Defense and Health and Human Services (HHS) in order to improve VA's ability to meet the long-term reproductive health care needs of veterans who have a service-connected genitourinary disability or a condition that was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, such as a spinal cord injury, that affects the veterans' ability to reproduce. 
 
Requires the Secretary to enhance the capabilities of the VA women veterans contact center: (1) to respond to requests for assistance with accessing VA health care and benefits, and (2) for referral to community resources to obtain assistance with services not furnished by the VA.
 
Amends the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 relating to a pilot program of group retreat reintegration and readjustment counseling for women veterans recently separated from service to: (1) increase from at least 3 to at least 14 the number of locations for such counseling, and (2) extend the pilot program for an additional 2 years.
 
Directs the Secretary to carry out a pilot program of providing child care assistance to veterans receiving or in need of VA readjustment counseling and related mental health services. 
 
Directs the Secretary to impose, as a contract condition, a contractor user fee with respect to each contract entered into by the VA for a good or service. Provides for the determination of fee amounts. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such fee if the contractor is an individual or a small business. Establishes in the Treasury the Department of Veterans Affairs Fertility Counseling and Treatment Fund. Provides for the deposit into such Fund of all contractor user fee amounts. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-03-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2013-03-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2013-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-03-05
text: Introduced in House