A bill to amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-s-544
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2017-03-07
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability and paralysis

Health care coverage and access

Health information and medical records

Hospital care

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2017-04-19
text: Signed by President.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-03-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to eliminate the August 7, 2017, sunset date for the Veterans Choice Program, thus allowing the program to operate until all of the money in the Veterans Choice Fund is expended. </p> <p>The bill makes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the primary payer (currently the VA is the secondary payer) for medical care relating to non-service connected disabilities and recovery of costs from third parties for certain care under the program.</p> <p>The VA may share medical information with a non-VA entity (including private entities and other federal agencies) that provides veterans with authorized hospital care or medical services. Such entity may not redisclose or use such information for a purpose other than that for which the disclosure was made.</p>

action_date: 2017-04-03
action_desc: Passed Senate without amendment
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)</p> <p> (Sec. 1) This bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to eliminate the August 7, 2017, sunset date for the Veterans Choice Program, thus allowing the program to operate until all of the money in the Veterans Choice Fund is expended. </p> <p>(Sec. 2) The bill makes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the primary payer (currently the VA is the secondary payer) for medical care relating to non-service connected disabilities and recovery of costs from third parties for certain care under the program.</p> <p>(Sec. 3) The VA may share medical information with a non-VA entity (including private entities and other federal agencies) that provides veterans with authorized hospital care or medical services. Such entity may not redisclose or use such information for a purpose other than that for which the disclosure was made.</p>

action_date: 2017-04-05
action_desc: Passed House without amendment
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)</p> <p>(Sec. 1) This bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to eliminate the August 7, 2017, sunset date for the Veterans Choice Program, thus allowing the program to operate until all of the money in the Veterans Choice Fund is expended. </p> <p>(Sec. 2) The bill makes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the primary payer (currently the VA is the secondary payer) for medical care relating to non-service connected disabilities and recovery of costs from third parties for certain care under the program.</p> <p>(Sec. 3) The VA may share medical information with a non-VA entity (including private entities and other federal agencies) that provides veterans with authorized hospital care or medical services. Such entity may not redisclose or use such information for a purpose other than that for which the disclosure was made.</p>

action_date: 2017-04-19
action_desc: Public Law
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)</p> <p>(Sec. 1) This bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to eliminate the August 7, 2017, sunset date for the Veterans Choice Program, thus allowing the program to operate until all of the money in the Veterans Choice Fund is expended. </p> <p>(Sec. 2) The bill makes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the primary payer (currently the VA is the secondary payer) for medical care relating to non-service connected disabilities and recovery of costs from third parties for certain care under the program.</p> <p>(Sec. 3) The VA may share medical information with a non-VA entity (including private entities and other federal agencies) that provides veterans with authorized hospital care or medical services. Such entity may not redisclose or use such information for a purpose other than that for which the disclosure was made.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 544 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 7, 2017 Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. McCain , Mr. Moran , Mr. Isakson , Mr. Blumenthal , Mr. Schatz , Mr. Bennet , Mr. Boozman , Ms. Heitkamp , and Mr. Rounds ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for other purposes.

1. Modification of termination date for Veterans Choice Program Section 101(p)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 ( Public Law 113–146 ; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended by striking , or the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs first . 2. Elimination of requirement to act as secondary payer for care relating to non-service-connected disabilities and recovery of costs for certain care under Choice Program (a) In general 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) in the subsection heading, by striking Other health-care plan and inserting Responsibility for costs of certain care ; (2) in paragraph (1), in the paragraph heading, by striking to Secretary and inserting on health-care plans ; (3) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); (4) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2); and (5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3) Recovery of costs for certain care (A) In general 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, or for a condition for which recovery is authorized or with respect to which the United States is deemed to be a third party beneficiary under Public Law 87–693 , commonly known as the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act ( 42 U.S.C. 2651 et seq.), the Secretary shall recover or collect from a third party (as defined in subsection (i) of such section 1729) reasonable charges for such care or services to the extent that the veteran (or the provider of the care or services) would be eligible to receive payment for such care or services from such third party if the care or services had not been furnished by a department or agency of the United States. (B) Use of amounts Amounts collected by the Secretary under subparagraph (A) shall be deposited in the Medical Community Care account of the Department. Amounts so deposited shall remain available until expended. . (b) Conforming amendment Paragraph (1) of such section is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting paragraph (2) . 3. Authority to disclose certain medical records of veterans who receive non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care Section 7332(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (H) (i) To a non-Department entity (including private entities and other Federal agencies) that provides hospital care or medical services to veterans as authorized by the Secretary. (ii) An entity to which a record is disclosed under this subparagraph may not redisclose or use such record for a purpose other than that for which the disclosure was made. .

tv_txt: One Hundred Fifteenth Congress of the United States of America 1st Session Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, the third day of January, two thousand and seventeen S. 544 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AN ACT To amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for other purposes.

1. Modification of termination date for Veterans Choice Program Section 101(p)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 ( Public Law 113–146 ; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended by striking , or the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs first . 2. Elimination of requirement to act as secondary payer for care relating to non-service-connected disabilities and recovery of costs for certain care under Choice Program (a) In general 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) in the subsection heading, by striking Other health-care plan and inserting Responsibility for costs of certain care ; (2) in paragraph (1), in the paragraph heading, by striking to Secretary and inserting on health-care plans ; (3) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); (4) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2); and (5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3) Recovery of costs for certain care (A) In general 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, or for a condition for which recovery is authorized or with respect to which the United States is deemed to be a third party beneficiary under Public Law 87–693 , commonly known as the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act ( 42 U.S.C. 2651 et seq.), the Secretary shall recover or collect from a third party (as defined in subsection (i) of such section 1729) reasonable charges for such care or services to the extent that the veteran (or the provider of the care or services) would be eligible to receive payment for such care or services from such third party if the care or services had not been furnished by a department or agency of the United States. (B) Use of amounts Amounts collected by the Secretary under subparagraph (A) shall be deposited in the Medical Community Care account of the Department. Amounts so deposited shall remain available until expended. . (b) Conforming amendment Paragraph (1) of such section is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting paragraph (2) . 3. Authority to disclose certain medical records of veterans who receive non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care Section 7332(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (H) (i) To a non-Department entity (including private entities and other Federal agencies) that provides hospital care or medical services to veterans as authorized by the Secretary. (ii) An entity to which a record is disclosed under this subparagraph may not redisclose or use such record for a purpose other than that for which the disclosure was made. .

Speaker of the House of Representatives Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate

tv_txt: 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 544 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AN ACT To amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for other purposes.

1. Modification of termination date for Veterans Choice Program Section 101(p)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 ( Public Law 113–146 ; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended by striking , or the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs first . 2. Elimination of requirement to act as secondary payer for care relating to non-service-connected disabilities and recovery of costs for certain care under Choice Program (a) In general 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) in the subsection heading, by striking Other health-care plan and inserting Responsibility for costs of certain care ; (2) in paragraph (1), in the paragraph heading, by striking to Secretary and inserting on health-care plans ; (3) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); (4) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2); and (5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3) Recovery of costs for certain care (A) In general 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, or for a condition for which recovery is authorized or with respect to which the United States is deemed to be a third party beneficiary under Public Law 87–693 , commonly known as the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act ( 42 U.S.C. 2651 et seq.), the Secretary shall recover or collect from a third party (as defined in subsection (i) of such section 1729) reasonable charges for such care or services to the extent that the veteran (or the provider of the care or services) would be eligible to receive payment for such care or services from such third party if the care or services had not been furnished by a department or agency of the United States. (B) Use of amounts Amounts collected by the Secretary under subparagraph (A) shall be deposited in the Medical Community Care account of the Department. Amounts so deposited shall remain available until expended. . (b) Conforming amendment Paragraph (1) of such section is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting paragraph (2) . 3. Authority to disclose certain medical records of veterans who receive non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care Section 7332(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (H) (i) To a non-Department entity (including private entities and other Federal agencies) that provides hospital care or medical services to veterans as authorized by the Secretary. (ii) An entity to which a record is disclosed under this subparagraph may not redisclose or use such record for a purpose other than that for which the disclosure was made. .

Passed the Senate April 3, 2017. Secretary