[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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