[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 815 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 815

 To provide health care benefits to veterans with a service-connected 
  disability at non-Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities 
    that receive payments under the Medicare program or the TRICARE 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 8, 2007

   Mr. Craig introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide health care benefits to veterans with a service-connected 
  disability at non-Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities 
    that receive payments under the Medicare program or the TRICARE 
                                program.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Health Care Empowerment Act 
of 2007''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE BENEFITS FOR VETERANS WITH A SERVICE-CONNECTED 
              DISABILITY AT NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, or any other provision of law, any veteran with a service-
connected disability may receive necessary hospital care or medical 
services for any condition at any hospital or medical facility or from 
any medical provider eligible to receive payments under--
            (1) the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.); or
            (2) the TRICARE program.
    (b) Cost of Care and Service.--The cost of any hospital care or 
medical services provided under this section shall be borne by the 
United States.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``hospital care'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 1701(5) of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) The term ``medical services'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 1701(6) of title 38, United States Code.
            (3) The term ``service-connected'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
            (4) The term ``TRICARE program'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 1072(7) of title 10, United States Code.
    (d) Sunset.--This section shall cease to have effect on September 
30, 2009.
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