Veterans Choice Equal Cost for Care Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2649
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
Introduced: 2016-03-08
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance

Hospital care

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2016-03-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-03-08
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Veterans Choice Equal Cost for Care Act of 2016</strong></p> <p>This bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to permit the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recover or collect reasonable charges for hospital care or medical services from a health-care plan when an eligible veteran is furnished such care or services for a non-service-connected disability.</p> <p>The VA shall have the primary (and sole) responsibility to pay any related health insurance cost sharing amount.</p> <p>An eligible veteran shall not pay a greater amount for receiving hospital care or medical services than the amount the veteran would pay for receiving the same or comparable care or services at a VA medical facility or from a VA health care provider. (The bill repeals the VA's secondary responsibility to pay the costs of care in such circumstances.)</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2649 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 8, 2016 Mr. Rounds introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To modify the treatment of the costs of health care furnished under section 101 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to veterans covered by health-plan contracts.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Choice Equal Cost for Care Act of 2016 . 2. Modification of treatment of costs of care under Choice Program for veterans covered by health-plan contracts Section 101(e) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 ( Public Law 113–146 ; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended— (1) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraphs: (2) Responsibility for costs of certain care In any case in which an eligible veteran is furnished hospital care or medical services under this section for a non-service-connected disability described in subsection (a)(2) of section 1729 of title 38, United States Code, the Secretary may recover or collect reasonable charges for such care or services from a health-care plan described in paragraph (4) in accordance with such section. (3) Payment by Department (A) In general The Secretary shall pay the amount of any cost sharing under a health-care plan described in paragraph (4) that is charged to an eligible veteran for hospital care or medical services furnished under this section. (B) Maximum amount paid by veteran An eligible veteran shall not pay a greater amount for receiving hospital care or medical services under this section than the amount the veteran would pay for receiving the same or comparable care or services at a medical facility of the Department or from a health care provider of the Department. .