[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5131 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5131

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse non-Department 
  of Veterans Affairs medical providers for the provision of certain 
hospital care and medical services to veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 17, 2014

Ms. Gabbard (for herself and Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse non-Department 
  of Veterans Affairs medical providers for the provision of certain 
hospital care and medical services to veterans, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Access to Care and Treatment Now for 
Veterans Act'' or the ``ACT Now for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. REIMBURSEMENT OF NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              PROVIDERS FOR THE PROVISION OF CERTAIN HOSPITAL CARE AND 
              MEDICAL SERVICES TO VETERANS.

    (a) Reimbursement Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall reimburse any non-Department medical provider, including such a 
provider who has not been pre-approved by the Secretary, who furnishes 
covered hospital care or medical services to an eligible veteran.
    (b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) The term ``eligible veteran'' means a veteran who--
                    (A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system 
                under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, and 
                provides a Department of Veterans Affairs 
                identification card or proof of such enrollment;
                    (B) is eligible to receive hospital care or medical 
                services furnished by the Secretary of Veterans 
                Affairs; and
                    (C) attempts or has attempted to schedule an 
                appointment at a Department of Veterans Affairs 
                facility to receive such care or services but has been 
                unable to schedule such appointment within 30 days of 
                the date preferred by the veteran.
            (2) The term ``covered hospital care or medical services'' 
        means, with respect to an eligible veteran, hospital care or 
        medical services (as such terms are defined in section 1701 of 
        title 38, United States Code) for which the veteran is eligible 
        under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code.
    (c) Termination.--The authority under this section shall terminate 
on--
            (1) in the case that, before the date that is one year 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
        submits to Congress certification that the Veterans Health 
        Administration is meeting wait-time goals established by the 
        Secretary, the date that is one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act; or
            (2) in the case that the Secretary does not submit such 
        certification before such date, the date that is two years 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (d) Implementation.--The Secretary shall begin implementing this 
section on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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