Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act

Bill: 115-hr-5314
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17]
Introduced: 2018-03-15
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Conflicts and wars

Health care coverage and access

Mental health

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2018-03-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-03-15
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act</strong></p> <p>This bill makes veterans who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for any mental illness through the Department of Veterans Affairs, notwithstanding insufficient medical evidence to conclude that the mental illness is attributable to such service.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5314 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 15, 2018 Mr. Cartwright (for himself, Mr. Connolly , Mr. Neal , Mr. Peters , Ms. Eshoo , Mr. Deutch , Mr. DeFazio , Mr. Kilmer , Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas , Mr. Jones , Mrs. Napolitano , Mr. Kildee , Mr. Rush , Mr. Ryan of Ohio , Mr. Grijalva , Ms. Kelly of Illinois , Ms. Wilson of Florida , Mr. O'Rourke , Mr. Heck , and Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico ) introduced the following bill; which was 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act . 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 of hostilities (as defined in section 1712A(a)(2)(B) of this title), 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.