3.0.0 2646 2023-01-11T13:31:46Z 2023-01-11T13:31:46Z Senate S 2016-03-07 114 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Standing Hearings by 2016-03-15T18:15:00Z Referred to 2016-03-07T23:16:31Z 2016-03-15 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-558. Committee 2016-03-07 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. IntroReferral 2016-03-07 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress B001135 Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC] Richard Burr R NC Mauze N H001061 Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND] John Hoeven R ND 2016-03-07 True T000476 Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] Thomas Tillis R NC Roland 2016-03-07 True A000368 Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH] Kelly Ayotte R NH 2016-03-07 True D000618 Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] Steve Daines R MT 2016-03-07 True B001236 Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR] John Boozman R AR 2016-03-07 True M000934 Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS] Jerry Moran R KS 2016-03-07 True C000880 Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] Mike Crapo R ID 2016-03-08 False V000127 Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA] David Vitter R LA 2016-03-10 False C001047 Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV] Shelley Capito R WV Moore 2016-03-15 False L000575 Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK] James Lankford R OK 2016-03-15 False I000024 Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] Jim Inhofe R OK 2016-03-15 False B000575 Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO] Roy Blunt R MO 2016-03-17 False R000584 Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] James Risch R ID E. 2016-04-05 False G000562 Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] Cory Gardner R CO 2016-04-12 False Armed Forces and National Security Appropriations Cancer Cardiovascular and respiratory health Congressional oversight Department of Veterans Affairs Digestive and metabolic diseases Disability and paralysis Emergency medical services and trauma care Executive agency funding and structure Health care costs and insurance Health care coverage and access Health care quality Health facilities and institutions Health information and medical records Health personnel Hospital care Military facilities and property Neurological disorders North Carolina Public contracts and procurement Sex and reproductive health Veterans' medical care Veterans' pensions and compensation Water quality Women's health Armed Forces and National Security 00 2016-03-07 Introduced in Senate 2016-07-20T15:11:33Z Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016

This bill codifies, revises, and makes permanent the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The VCP is enlarged to include additional health care providers that meet specified VA criteria.

Veterans eligibility provisions are revised, including by:

  • eliminating the August 1, 2014, deadline for enrollment in the VA patient enrollment system;
  • requiring that a veteran does not live within 40 miles driving distance of a VA medical facility with a full-time primary care physician or within 20 miles of a VA medical facility that provides hospital care, emergency medical services, and surgical care rated as having a surgical complexity of standard; and
  • providing eligibility for a veteran enrolled in the VCP pilot program that provides hospital or medical care through qualifying non-VA health care providers to veterans in highly rural areas.

Medical service rate exceptions are provided for: (1) highly rural areas, (2) Alaska, and (3) states that have an All-Payer Model Agreement.

The VA shall provide for a nationwide claims processing system.

The following VA programs, contracts, and agreements shall be consolidated into the VCP by December 31, 2017:

  • the patient-centered community care program;
  • contracts for kidney dialysis services;
  • contracts through the retail VA pharmacy network; and
  • health care agreements with federal entities or federally-funded entities, including the Department of Defense, the Indian Health Service, tribal health programs, federally-qualified health centers, and academic teaching affiliates.

VCP funds shall be derived from the appropriations account established under the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015.

The VA shall ensure that VCP health care provider payments comply with the Prompt Payment Act and the requirements of this bill.

VCP claims, with a limited exception, must be submitted electronically as of January 1, 2019. The VA shall establish an electronic claims interface by such date.

This bill terminates certain provisions authorizing medical care through non-VA facilities.

The Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 is amended to extend the pilot program under which the VA provides covered health services in highly rural areas to covered veterans through qualifying non-VA health care providers.

The VA may, if unable to furnish hospital care, medical services, or extended care at VA facilities or under other authorized contracts or sharing agreements, enter into a Veterans Care Agreement with an eligible provider to furnish such care and services.

An eligible provider is:

  • a physician, supplier, or service provider that has entered into an agreement under the Social Security Act;
  • a provider of items and services receiving payments under a state Medicaid plan;
  • an aging and disability resource center, an area agency on aging, or a center for independent living; or
  • a provider located in a health shortage area.

The VA shall reimburse an ambulance provider or other entity that provides emergency transportation to a non-VA facility for a veteran who is an active VA health care participant who is personally liable for emergency treatment in a non-VA facility.

A veteran seeking VA hospital care or medical services shall provide the VA with information about other health plan coverage.

If the VA establishes or has established a presumption of service connection for disability compensation for a specified illness/condition incurred by a veteran who served at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, the VA shall commence payment of such compensation within 90 days of: (1) establishing such presumption, or (2) enactment of this bill for such a presumption established prior to enactment.

]]> Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016 Display Title Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016 Official Title as Introduced A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Veterans Choice Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve health care provided to veterans by the Department, and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Short Titles as Introduced Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016 Introduced in Senate 2016-03-07T05:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-114s2646is/xml/BILLS-114s2646is.xml 2016-03-15 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-558. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.