[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 239 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 239

To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans in each 
 of the 48 contiguous States are able to receive services in at least 
one full-service hospital of the Veterans Health Administration in the 
State or receive comparable services provided by contract in the State.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 14, 2009

Mrs. Shaheen (for herself and Mr. Gregg) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans in each 
 of the 48 contiguous States are able to receive services in at least 
one full-service hospital of the Veterans Health Administration in the 
State or receive comparable services provided by contract in the State.

    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 Equity Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF FULL-SERVICE HOSPITAL OF THE VETERANS HEALTH 
              ADMINISTRATION IN CERTAIN STATES OR PROVISION OF 
              COMPARABLE SERVICES THROUGH CONTRACT WITH OTHER HEALTH 
              CARE PROVIDERS IN THE STATE.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 1716 the following new section:
``Sec. 1716A. Access to full-service hospitals in certain States or 
              comparable services through contract
    ``(a) Requirement.--With respect to each of the 48 contiguous 
States, the Secretary shall ensure that veterans in the State eligible 
for hospital care and medical services under section 1710 of this title 
have access--
            ``(1) to at least one full-service hospital of the Veterans 
        Health Administration in the State; or
            ``(2) to hospital care and medical services comparable to 
        the services provided in full-service hospitals through 
        contract with other health care providers in the State.
    ``(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in subsection (a) shall be 
construed to restrict the ability of the Secretary to provide enhanced 
care to an eligible veteran who resides in one State in a hospital of 
the Veterans Health Administration in another State.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
1716 the following new item:

``1716A. Access to full-service hospitals in certain States or 
                            comparable services through contract.''.
    (c) Report on Implementation.--Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall submit to Congress a report describing the extent to which the 
Secretary has complied with the requirement imposed by section 1716A of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), including the 
effect of such requirement on improving the quality and standards of 
care provided to veterans.
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