Transparency for Wounded Warriors Act

Bill: 116-hr-8257
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5]
Introduced: 2020-09-15
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies

Disability and paralysis

Life, casualty, property insurance

Military personnel and dependents
Latest action: action_date: 2020-09-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-09-15
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Transparency for Wounded Warriors Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide specified information to a member of the uniformed services regarding a denial for traumatic injury benefits under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program. Specifically, the bill requires the VA to provide the member with (1) the reason for the denial, including a description of all the information upon which the denial is based; and (2) an explanation and citation of the applicable laws, regulations, or policies upon which the denial is based. Any undisclosed reason, information, or explanation is not usable by the VA as a basis to deny a subsequent review or appeal by an individual regarding a denial of a claim for benefits.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8257 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 15, 2020 Mr. Kildee (for himself and Mr. Bergman ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide to a member of the uniformed services who is denied a traumatic injury protection claim under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance certain information related to that denial.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Transparency for Wounded Warriors Act . 2. Denial of claims for traumatic injury protection under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Section 1980A of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (l) If a claim for benefits under this section is denied, the Secretary concerned shall provide to the member at the same time as the member is informed of such denial a report describing each reason for that denial, including a description of all the information upon which the denial is based and a description of the applicable laws, regulations, or policies, with appropriate citations, and an explanation of how such laws, regulations, or policies affected the denial. Any reason, information, or explanation that is not so provided may not be used by the Secretary concerned as the basis to deny a subsequent review or appeal by the member of a denial of a claim for benefits. .