VA Fiscal Responsibility Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 360 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to automate third-party health insurance billings and collections of the Department of Veterans Affairs. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 19, 2021 Mr. STEUBE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to automate third-party health insurance billings and collections of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Fiscal Responsi- 4 bility Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. THIRD-PARTY BILLINGS AND COLLECTIONS PROCE- 6 DURES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF- 7 FAIRS. 8 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:07 Feb 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H360.IH H360 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 360 IH (1) A large number of third-party health bil- 1 lings by the Department of Veterans Affairs go un- 2 collected each year. 3 (2) Procedures to provide for correct billing and 4 prompt collection must improve at the Department. 5 (3) Congress has urged the Department to im- 6 prove its systems for the collection of third-party 7 payments that are owed to the Department for non- 8 service-connected care for veterans. 9 (4) It is important for the Department to in- 10 crease collections of payments that are rightfully 11 owed to the United States. 12 (5) A comprehensive solution to the fee care 13 issue is necessary to realize full collection potential. 14 (b) USE OF AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGY.— 15 (1) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 16 Affairs shall automate the collection of outstanding, 17 overdue, and not fully paid third-party health insur- 18 ance claims, regardless of the amount owed under 19 any single claim. 20 (2) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Secretary 21 shall seek to enter into a contract using competitive 22 procedures to provide the capability described in 23 paragraph (1). The Secretary shall award such a 24 contract from among contractors that the Secretary 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:07 Feb 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H360.IH H360 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 360 IH determines have proven expertise and documented 1 success in the private sector through the use of 2 automated small-balance recovery and appeal proc- 3 esses. 4 (3) THIRD-PARTY HEALTH INSURANCE 5 CLAIMS.—In this section, the term ‘‘third-party 6 health insurance claims’’ means claims made by the 7 Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recover amounts 8 from third parties pursuant to sections 1725 and 9 1729 of title 38, United States Code, and other 10 similar provisions of law. 11 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:07 Feb 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H360.IH H360 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS