[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 7, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H1126-H1127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   REMOVING EXTRANEOUS LOOPHOLES INSURING EVERY VETERAN EMERGENCY ACT

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 815) to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
improvements relating to the eligibility of veterans to receive 
reimbursement for emergency treatment furnished through the Veterans 
Community Care program, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 815

       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 ``Removing Extraneous 
     Loopholes Insuring Every Veteran Emergency Act'' or the 
     ``RELIEVE Act''.

     SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR 
                   EMERGENCY TREATMENT FURNISHED TO VETERANS.

       (a) Eligibility Requirements.--Section 1725(b)(2)(B) of 
     title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting ``, 
     unless such emergency treatment was furnished during the 60-
     day period following the date on which the veteran enrolled 
     in the health care system specified in subparagraph (A), in 
     which case no requirement for prior receipt of care shall 
     apply'' before the period.
       (b) Applicability.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to emergency treatment furnished on 
     or after the date that is one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN HOUSING LOAN FEES.

       The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by striking ``November 14, 
     2031'' each place it appears and inserting ``December 28, 
     2031''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 
815, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 815, the RELIEVE Act, as 
amended.
  This bill would close a loophole by covering emergency room medical 
expenses for veterans that are newly enrolled in VA care.
  Under current law, VA does not reimburse veterans for emergency care 
received in the community if they have not visited a VA facility within 
2 years. This policy includes veterans who are newly enrolled in the VA 
healthcare system but may not be considered active patients.
  As a result, inactive veteran patients and their families could be 
met with undue payment burdens if they receive urgent medical treatment 
outside the VA.
  Representative McMorris Rodgers' bill, H.R. 815, as amended, will 
correctly close this gap in emergency room services. This will help 
those in need at their most vulnerable time by extending VA 
reimbursement for 60 days after the veteran's enrollment in the VA 
healthcare.
  As chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and a veteran, I have 
heard from fellow veterans who have been wrongfully affected by this 
confusing policy. One of my top priorities in Congress is to ensure 
that veterans receive necessary care without worrying about payment 
burdens and bureaucratic red tape.
  I thank the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), and the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. 
Pappas) for introducing this commonsense legislation that takes care of 
our Nation's veterans by making sure they receive the care that they 
deserve.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 815, as 
amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 815, the RELIEVE Act, as 
amended, which is sponsored by Representative McMorris Rodgers and 
cosponsored by our committee members, Representatives Pappas and 
Bergman.
  It will address a gap for a small population of veterans who first 
enrolled in VA healthcare within the last 60 days to be covered for 
emergency care in the community, even if they have not received any 
services from a VA provider.
  Existing VA authorities for coverage of emergency care in the 
community are extremely complex. They are also not well understood by 
veterans, who often end up blindsided by massive medical bills that 
they can't afford.
  Under current law, VA can only cover emergency care in the community 
for a nonservice-connected condition if the veteran was enrolled in VA 
healthcare and had used VA care within the 24 months before the 
emergency care episode.
  This bill would make an exception for veterans who first enrolled in 
VA healthcare within 60 days before their emergency care episode. Such 
veterans may not have had a reason to use VA care yet or they may have 
experienced a wait time for a routine appointment.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 815, 
as amended, which will help ensure veterans who are new to VA 
healthcare will be covered for unexpected medical emergencies.
  I also highlight a new meaningful benefit for veterans who are 
experiencing acute suicidal crises. It is important for veterans and 
their families and caregivers to know that VA has now implemented 
legislation I championed to remove cost from the equation when veterans 
are in imminent risk of self-harm.
  VA will now fully cover up to 30 days of inpatient or residential 
care or up to 90 days of outpatient care for veterans who are 
experiencing an acute suicidal crisis, regardless of whether the 
veteran has ever enrolled in or used VA healthcare benefits. Any 
veteran experiencing a mental health crisis should call 988 and press 1 
to speak with a trained professional from the Veterans Crisis Line.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Mrs. Rodgers).
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 
RELIEVE Act. I introduced this bill after a veteran from Spokane 
reached out for my help. She had recently retired from service and was 
days away from her first VA appointment when she had a heart attack.
  She was rushed to the ER, where she made a full recovery, but the VA 
refused to pay for her care.
  Why? Because she hadn't seen a VA doctor in the last 24 months.
  It didn't matter that she had just enrolled or that many VA 
facilities have 30- to 60-day delays. They denied her the coverage she 
needed, and her bills were piling up.
  The RELIEVE Act would make this right. It waives the 24-month rule 
for 60 days, giving veterans time to establish care and ensure that 
they qualify for outside emergency coverage.
  I am grateful to the leadership of the committee, as well as my 
colleagues, Jack Bergman and Chris Pappas, for helping lead this bill 
to help eliminate the emergency coverage gap. I urge my colleagues to 
join in giving veterans the treatment that they have earned.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), the ranking

[[Page H1127]]

member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Takano for yielding and for his 
leadership, along with Chairman Bost, in getting this legislation to 
floor.
  I thank Representatives McMorris Rodgers and Bergman for cosponsoring 
this bill, which covers an important issue, emergency care coverage for 
veterans under the Community Care program.
  This would close a glaring gap in emergency care for veterans who are 
transitioning from DOD to VA care. Right now, VA's failure to cover 
emergency care during this transitional period can result in a 
crippling amount of debt for veterans who need this kind of care.
  These coverage gaps are all too common for our veterans. I have heard 
about it from my own constituents. In my first month in office, I was 
contacted by a veteran in Danville, New Hampshire, who put off seeking 
care for a medical emergency because he was unsure that VA would cover 
this care.
  No veteran should ever think twice about seeking care during a 
medical emergency or be faced with exorbitant medical bills as a result 
of this care, so let's eliminate this gap for veterans who are recently 
enrolled in VA care. This is an important step forward represented by 
this legislation. There is certainly more work to do, but I urge my 
colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation today.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Bergman), my good friend.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, as a veteran and member of both the Armed 
Services and Veterans' Affairs Committees, assisting those in uniform 
as they transition from military service into civilian life and VA care 
is one of my top priorities.
  Too often we see veterans get lost in the cracks of bureaucracy, and 
they fail to receive the healthcare they deserve through the VA or are 
facing unfair penalties while attempting to navigate life after their 
military service.
  While we have made tremendous strides to improve veteran access to 
healthcare through the VA Community Care program, significant coverage 
gaps remain, and more improvements must be made by Congress.
  Under current law, a veteran must have received health services at a 
VA facility within the past 2 years to be approved for retroactive 
coverage for emergency treatment through the Community Care program. 
This ignores the reality that it often takes more than a month for 
veterans to complete their first appointment at a VA facility following 
their enrollment in VA health.
  This creates a gap in coverage that can force crippling debt onto a 
recently separated servicemember who is seeking emergency care. No 
veteran should have to second-guess whether they should go to the 
emergency room due to bureaucratic mismanagement of their care 
coverage.
  The bipartisan RELIEVE Act would address this gap in coverage by 
giving veterans a 60-day grace period after they are enrolled in VA 
health to complete their first doctor's appointment. During those 60 
days, veterans will still be covered for emergency care at non-VA 
facilities, eliminating the gap, and ensuring veterans can receive the 
care they need without the worry of surprise bills.
  I am proud to join Representatives McMorris Rodgers and Pappas in 
introducing this important and commonsense legislation again this 
Congress. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of its passage.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. In closing, let 
me just say, it was a delight to join my colleague from Michigan at the 
Joni Mitchell concert and stand up and participate in ``Big Yellow 
Taxi,'' which is his favorite song.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support 
this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 815, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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