[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1646 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1646

   To provide for the care of veterans affected by Hurricane Katrina.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 8, 2005

   Mr. Akaka (for himself, Mr. Reid, and Mrs. Murray) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for the care of veterans affected by Hurricane Katrina.

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

SECTION 1. HEALTH CARE AND SERVICES FOR VETERANS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE 
              KATRINA.

    (a) Requirement for Hospital Care and Medical Services for Priority 
8 Veterans Affected by Hurricane Katrina.--
            (1) Requirement.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        furnish hospital care and medical services which the Secretary 
        determines to be needed to each priority 8 veteran affected by 
        Hurricane Katrina as if such veteran were a veteran described 
        by section 1710(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) Enhanced enrollment priority.--For purposes of 
        furnishing hospital care and medical services under paragraph 
        (1), the Secretary shall deem each priority 8 veteran affected 
        by Hurricane Katrina, upon the date of presentation of such 
        veteran to the Department of Veterans Affairs for such care and 
        services, to have enrolled in the system of annual patient 
        enrollment of the Department under section 1705(a) of title 38, 
        United States Code, on the first day of the current year of 
        such system in which such date falls.
    (b) Prohibition on Collection of Copayments for Veterans Affected 
by Hurricane Katrina.--In furnishing hospital care and medical services 
to any veteran affected by Hurricane Katrina, the Secretary shall not 
collect from or with respect to such veteran any payment for such care 
and services otherwise required under any provision of law, including 
any copayment for medications otherwise required under section 1722A of 
title 38, United States Code.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``veteran affected by Hurricane Katrina'' 
        means any veteran who, as of August 29, 2005, resided in the 
        catchment region of the Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
        center in New Orleans, Louisiana, Biloxi, Mississippi, or 
        Gulfport, Mississippi.
            (2) The term ``priority 8 veteran affected by Hurricane 
        Katrina'' means any veteran affected by Hurricane Katrina who, 
        as of August 29, 2005, would have been treated as a veteran 
        covered by paragraph (8) of section 1705(a) of title 38, United 
        States Code, for purposes of enrollment in the system of annual 
        patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs under 
        such section.
                                 <all>