I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2405 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 14, 2009 Mr. Latham (for himself, Mr. McCotter, and Mr. Miller of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans enrolled in the health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs the option of receiving covered health services through facilities other than those of the Department.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Richard Helm Veterans’ Access to Local Health Care Options and Resources Act.

2.

Requirement for payments to facilities other than the Department of Veterans Affairs for covered health services

(a)

Requirement To authorize receipt of covered health services at non-Department facilities pursuant to contracts with such facilities

Subsection (a) of section 1703 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: (a)An enrolled veteran may elect to receive covered health services through a non-Department facility. Such an election shall be made by submission to the Secretary of an application in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary prescribes. The Secretary shall authorize such services to be furnished to such veteran pursuant to contracting with such a facility to furnish such services to such a veteran, as authorized in section 1710 of this title. . (b)

Descriptions of covered health services and enrolled veterans

Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (e)For purposes of subsection (a)— (1)a covered health service is any hospital care, medical service, rehabilitative service, or preventative health service for which the veteran described in such subsection is eligible under this title; and (2)an enrolled veteran is a veteran who is enrolled in the system of patient enrollment established under section 1705(a) of this title. . (c)

Effective date

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) in order for enrolled veterans described in section 1703(e)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (b), to receive covered health services in accordance with section 1703(a) of such title, as amended by subsection (a), not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

3.

Authority of Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacies to dispense medications to veterans on prescriptions written by private practitioners

Section 1712 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (f)Subject to section 1722A of this title, the Secretary shall furnish to a veteran, through a Department health-care facility, such drugs and medicines as may be ordered on prescription of a duly licensed physician in the treatment of any illness or injury of the veteran provided pursuant to the authority to contract with a non-Department facility for such treatment under section 1703 of this title. .