[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1715 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1715

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the authority of the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs to recover from third parties costs of 
medical care furnished to veterans and other persons by the Department.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2003

  Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. Evans) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the authority of the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs to recover from third parties costs of 
medical care furnished to veterans and other persons by the Department.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. RECOVERY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF COSTS OF 
              CERTAIN HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

    (a) Scope of Recovery Authority.--Subsection (i) of section 1729 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking clause (i) and 
        redesignating clauses (ii), (iii), and (iv) as clauses (i), 
        (ii), and (iii), respectively; and
            (2) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (D) 
                as subparagraphs (B) through (E), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting before subparagraph (B), as so 
                redesignated, the following new subparagraph (A):
                    ``(A) a department or agency of the United States 
                other than the Department;''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Subsection (a)(1) of such section is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(A)'' after ``if'';
            (2) by inserting ``, or (B) the person had incurred a legal 
        liability to pay for such care or services'' before the period; 
        and
            (3) by inserting at the end the following new sentence: 
        ``The preceding sentence applies notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, other than a law enacted after the date of 
        the enactment of this sentence that is expressly stated as an 
        exception or limitation to this section.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply only with respect to care and services furnished under chapter 17 
of title 38, United States Code, on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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