[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3182 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 415
116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3182

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the Women's 
 Health Transition Training pilot program through at least fiscal year 
                     2020, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 13, 2020

Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

                            February 5, 2020

 Reported by Mr. Moran, with an amendment and an amendment to the title
                  [Insert the part printed in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the Women's 
 Health Transition Training pilot program through at least fiscal year 
                     2020, 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 ``Helping Expand and Launch 
Transitional Health for Women Veterans Act'' or ``HEALTH Act''.

SEC. 2. CONTINUATION OF WOMEN'S HEALTH TRANSITION TRAINING PILOT 
              PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Duration.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out 
the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs (in this section referred to as the ``pilot 
program'') until at least September 30, 2020.
    (b) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2020, the Secretary of 
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a report on the pilot program 
that includes the following:
            (1) The number of women members of the Armed Forces, 
        disaggregated by military department (with respect to the 
        Department of the Navy, disaggregated by the Navy and Marine 
        Corps), who participated in the pilot program.
            (2) The number of courses held under the pilot program.
            (3) The locations at which such courses were held, the 
        number of seats available for such courses, and the number of 
        participants at each such location.
            (4) With respect to the number of members of the Armed 
        Forces who participated in the pilot program as specified under 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) the number who enrolled in the health care 
                system of the Department of Veterans Affairs under 
                section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code; and
                    (B) the number who attended at least one health 
                care appointment at a medical facility of the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (5) Data relating to--
                    (A) satisfaction with courses held under the pilot 
                program;
                    (B) improved awareness of health care services 
                administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and
                    (C) any other available statistics regarding the 
                pilot program.
            (6) A discussion of regulatory, legal, or resource barriers 
        to--
                    (A) making the pilot program permanent to enable 
                access to services provided under the pilot program by 
                a greater number of women members of the Armed Forces 
                at locations throughout the United States;
                    (B) offering the pilot program online for women 
                members of the Armed Forces who are unable to attend 
                courses held under the pilot program in person; and
                    (C) the feasability of automatically enrolling 
                pilot program participants in the health care system of 
                the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 
                1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.
    (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
        Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
        Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY FOR SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO FURNISH 
              MEDICALLY NECESSARY TRANSPORTATION FOR NEWBORN CHILDREN 
              OF CERTAIN WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1786 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the matter before paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting ``and transportation 
                        necessary to receive such services'' after 
                        ``described in subsection (b)''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``, except as provided in 
                        subsection (e),'' after ``seven days'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``or'';
                    (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; or''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) another location, including a health care facility, 
        if the veteran delivers the child before arriving at a facility 
        described in paragraph (1) or (2).'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by inserting before the period at 
        the end the following: ``, including necessary health care 
        services provided by a facility other than the facility where 
        the newborn child was delivered (including a specialty 
        pediatric hospital) that accepts transfer of the newborn child 
        and responsibility for treatment of the newborn child''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(c) Transportation.--(1) Transportation furnished under 
subsection (a) to, from, or between care settings to meet the needs of 
a newborn child includes costs for either or both the newborn child and 
parents.
    ``(2) Transportation furnished under subsection (a) includes 
transportation by ambulance, including air ambulance, or other 
appropriate medically staffed modes of transportation--
            ``(A) to another health care facility (including a 
        specialty pediatric hospital) that accepts transfer of the 
        newborn child or otherwise provides post-delivery care services 
        when the treating facility is not capable of furnishing the 
        care or services required; or
            ``(B) to a health care facility in a medical emergency of 
        such nature that a prudent layperson reasonably expects that 
        delay in seeking immediate medical attention would be hazardous 
        to life or health.
    ``(3) Amounts paid by the Department for transportation under this 
section shall be derived from the Medical Services appropriations 
account of the Department.
    ``(d) Reimbursement or Payment for Health Care Services or 
Transportation.--(1) Pursuant to regulations the Secretary shall 
prescribe to establish rates of reimbursement and any limitations 
thereto under this section, the Secretary shall directly reimburse a 
covered entity for health care services or transportation services 
provided under this section, unless the cost of the services or 
transportation is covered by an established agreement or contract. If 
such an agreement or contract exists, its negotiated payment terms 
shall apply.
    ``(2)(A) Reimbursement or payment by the Secretary under this 
section on behalf of an individual to a covered entity shall, unless 
rejected and refunded by the covered entity within 30 days of receipt, 
extinguish any liability on the part of the individual for the health 
care services or transportation covered by such payment.
    ``(B) Neither the absence of a contract or agreement between the 
Secretary and a covered entity nor any provision of a contract, 
agreement, or assignment to the contrary shall operate to modify, 
limit, or negate the requirements of subparagraph (A).
    ``(3) In this subsection, the term `covered entity' means any 
individual, transportation carrier, organization, or other entity that 
furnished or paid for health care services or transportation under this 
section.
    ``(e) Exception.--Pursuant to such regulations as the Secretary 
shall prescribe to carry out this section, the Secretary may furnish 
more than seven days of health care services described in subsection 
(b), and transportation necessary to receive such services, to a 
newborn child based on medical necessity if the child is in need of 
additional care, including a case in which the newborn child has been 
discharged or released from a hospital and requires readmittance to 
ensure the health and welfare of the newborn child.''.
    (b) Treatment of Certain Expenses Already Incurred.--
            (1) In general.--Pursuant to such regulations as the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe, with respect to 
        transportation furnished in order for a newborn child of a 
        veteran to receive health care services under section 1786 of 
        title 38, United States Code, during the period specified in 
        paragraph (2), the Secretary may--
                    (A) waive a debt owed by the veteran to the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs or reimburse expenses 
                already paid by the veteran to the Department for such 
                transportation; or
                    (B) reimburse the veteran for costs billed by a 
                covered entity for such transportation regardless of 
                whether the veteran has already made such payment.
            (2) Period specified.--The period specified in this 
        paragraph is the period beginning on May 5, 2010, and ending on 
        the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (3) Covered entity defined.--In this subsection, the term 
        ``covered entity'' has the meaning given that term in section 
        1786(d)(3) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by 
        subsection (a).
            Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to direct the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the Women's Health 
        Transition Training pilot program through at least fiscal year 
        2020, to authorize the Secretary to furnish medically necessary 
        transportation for newborn children of certain women veterans, 
        and for other purposes.''.
                                                       Calendar No. 415

116th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 3182

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the Women's 
 Health Transition Training pilot program through at least fiscal year 
                     2020, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            February 5, 2020

        Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title