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II
116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1573
To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate copayments by the
Department of Veterans Affairs for medicines relating to preventive
health services, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MAY 21, 2019
Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself and Ms. COLLINS) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate copay-
ments by the Department of Veterans Affairs for medi-
cines relating to preventive health services, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Preventive
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Health Coverage Fairness Act’’.
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•S 1573 IS
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT TO PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES
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FURNISHED BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
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AFFAIRS.
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(a) ELIMINATION OF MEDICATION COPAYMENTS.—
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Section 1722A(a)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is
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amended—
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(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘or’’;
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(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period
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at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
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(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
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paragraph:
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‘‘(E) to medication that is or is part of a pre-
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ventive health service.’’.
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(b) ELIMINATION OF HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL
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SERVICES COPAYMENTS.—Section 1710 of such title is
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amended—
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(1) in subsection (f)—
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(A) by redesignating paragraph (5) as
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paragraph (6); and
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(B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the
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following new paragraph (5):
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‘‘(5) A veteran shall not be liable to the United States
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under this subsection for any amounts for preventive
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health services.’’; and
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(2) in subsection (g)(3), by adding at the end
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the following new subparagraph:
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•S 1573 IS
‘‘(C) Preventive health services.’’.
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(c) DEFINITION.—Section 1701(9) of such title is
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amended—
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(1) in subparagraph (K), by striking ‘‘; and’’
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and inserting a semicolon;
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(2) by redesignating subparagraph (L) as sub-
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paragraph (O); and
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(3) by inserting after subparagraph (K) the fol-
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lowing new subparagraphs:
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‘‘(L) evidence-based items or services that
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have in effect a rating of ‘A’ or ‘B’ in the cur-
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rent recommendations of the United States Pre-
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ventive Services Task Force;
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‘‘(M) immunizations that have in effect a
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recommendation from the Advisory Committee
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on Immunization Practices of the Centers for
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Disease Control and Prevention with respect to
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the individual involved;
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‘‘(N) with respect to services for women,
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the preventive care and screenings provided for
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in the Health Resources and Services Adminis-
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tration Preventive Services Guidelines in effect
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as of January 1, 2017; and’’.
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