[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2545 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2545

 To modify the requirements of the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
  reimbursing health care providers under section 101 of the Veterans 
Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 11, 2016

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To modify the requirements of the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
  reimbursing health care providers under section 101 of the Veterans 
Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, 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 ``Veterans Choice Card Prompt Payment 
Act''.

SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF PROMPT PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS UNDER THE CHOICE PROGRAM.

    Section 101(d)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and 
Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) Prompt payment by department.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The receipt by the 
                        Secretary of a request for reimbursement for 
                        care or services furnished by an entity to an 
                        eligible veteran under this section is 
                        sufficient to require the Secretary to 
                        reimburse the entity for such care or services, 
                        even if such request for reimbursement does not 
                        include the medical records of the eligible 
                        veteran in connection with such care or 
                        services.
                            ``(ii) Period for payment.--For purposes of 
                        chapter 39 of title 31, United States Code 
                        (commonly referred to as the `Prompt Payment 
                        Act'), the period during which the Secretary is 
                        required to reimburse an entity for care or 
                        services furnished under this section shall 
                        begin on the date on which the Secretary 
                        receives a request for reimbursement described 
                        in clause (i), even if such request does not 
                        include medical records.
                            ``(iii) Rule of construction.--Nothing in 
                        this subparagraph may be construed to eliminate 
                        the requirement of an entity seeking 
                        reimbursement for care or services furnished 
                        under this section to submit medical records to 
                        the Secretary in connection with such care or 
                        services.''.
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