[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 544 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 544
To amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to
modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 7, 2017
Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Moran, Mr. Isakson, Mr.
Blumenthal, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Boozman, Ms. Heitkamp, and Mr.
Rounds) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to
modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, 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. MODIFICATION OF TERMINATION DATE FOR VETERANS CHOICE
PROGRAM.
Section 101(p)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and
Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is
amended by striking ``, or the date that is 3 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs first''.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF REQUIREMENT TO ACT AS SECONDARY PAYER FOR CARE
RELATING TO NON-SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES AND
RECOVERY OF COSTS FOR CERTAIN CARE UNDER CHOICE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 101(e) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and
Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is
amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Other Health-
care Plan'' and inserting ``Responsibility for Costs of Certain
Care'';
(2) in paragraph (1), in the paragraph heading, by striking
``to secretary'' and inserting ``on health-care plans'';
(3) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3);
(4) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2); and
(5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) Recovery of costs for certain care.--
``(A) In general.--In any case in which an eligible
veteran is furnished hospital care or medical services
under this section for a non-service-connected
disability described in subsection (a)(2) of section
1729 of title 38, United States Code, or for a
condition for which recovery is authorized or with
respect to which the United States is deemed to be a
third party beneficiary under Public Law 87-693,
commonly known as the `Federal Medical Care Recovery
Act' (42 U.S.C. 2651 et seq.), the Secretary shall
recover or collect from a third party (as defined in
subsection (i) of such section 1729) reasonable charges
for such care or services to the extent that the
veteran (or the provider of the care or services) would
be eligible to receive payment for such care or
services from such third party if the care or services
had not been furnished by a department or agency of the
United States.
``(B) Use of amounts.--Amounts collected by the
Secretary under subparagraph (A) shall be deposited in
the Medical Community Care account of the Department.
Amounts so deposited shall remain available until
expended.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (1) of such section is amended
by striking ``paragraph (4)'' and inserting ``paragraph (2)''.
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO DISCLOSE CERTAIN MEDICAL RECORDS OF VETERANS WHO
RECEIVE NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE.
Section 7332(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(H)(i) To a non-Department entity (including private
entities and other Federal agencies) that provides hospital
care or medical services to veterans as authorized by the
Secretary.
``(ii) An entity to which a record is disclosed under this
subparagraph may not redisclose or use such record for a
purpose other than that for which the disclosure was made.''.
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