VREASA

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 485 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the circumstances under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide reimburse- ment for emergency ambulance services. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 10, 2019 Mr. TIPTON (for himself, Ms. DELAURO, and Mr. WITTMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the circumstances under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide reimbursement for emergency ambu- lance services. 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 ‘‘Veterans Reimburse- 4 ment for Emergency Ambulance Services Act’’ or the 5 ‘‘VREASA’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:01 Jan 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H485.IH H485 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 485 IH SEC. 2. SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS REIMBURSE- 1 MENT FOR EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERV- 2 ICES. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1725(c) of title 38, 4 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 5 following new paragraph: 6 ‘‘(5) In delineating the circumstances under which re- 7 imbursement may be made under this section for ambu- 8 lance services for an individual, the Secretary shall treat 9 such services as emergency services for which reimburse- 10 ment may be made under this section if the Secretary de- 11 termines that— 12 ‘‘(A) the request for ambulance services was 13 made as a result of the sudden onset of a medical 14 condition of such a nature that a prudent layperson 15 who possesses an average knowledge of health and 16 medicine— 17 ‘‘(i) would have reasonably expected that a 18 delay in seeking immediate medical attention 19 would have been hazardous to the life or health 20 of the individual; or 21 ‘‘(ii) could reasonably expect the absence 22 of immediate medical attention to result in 23 placing the health of the individual in serious 24 jeopardy, the serious impairment of bodily func- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:01 Jan 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H485.IH H485 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 485 IH tions, or the serious dysfunction of any bodily 1 organ or part; and 2 ‘‘(B) the individual is transported to the closest 3 and most appropriate medical facility capable of 4 treating such emergency medical condition.’’. 5 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 6 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to ambulance serv- 7 ices provided on or after January 1, 2019. 8 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:01 Jan 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H485.IH H485 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS