ACT for Veterans Act

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3644 To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authorization period for emergency treatment in non-Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities under the Veterans Community Care Program. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 24, 2023 Mr. LATTA (for himself, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. STEWART, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, and Mr. BENTZ) introduced the following bill; which was re- ferred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the author- ization period for emergency treatment in non-Depart- ment of Veterans Affairs medical facilities under the Veterans Community Care Program. 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 ‘‘Addressing Care 4 Timelines for Veterans Act’’ or the ‘‘ACT for Veterans 5 Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:45 Jun 16, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3644.IH H3644 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 3644 IH SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION PERIOD FOR 1 EMERGENCY TREATMENT IN NON-DEPART- 2 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FA- 3 CILITIES. 4 (a) AUTHORIZATION PERIOD EXTENDED.— 5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a)(3) of section 6 1703 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 7 (A) by striking ‘‘A covered veteran’’ and 8 inserting ‘‘(A) Except as provided by subpara- 9 graph (B), a covered veteran’’; and 10 (B) by adding at the end the following new 11 subparagraph: 12 ‘‘(B) In the case of emergency treatment furnished 13 to a covered veteran by a health care provider specified 14 in subsection (c) in the course of care or services author- 15 ized under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may deem 16 such emergency treatment to be authorized under such 17 subparagraph if such covered veteran (or an individual 18 acting on behalf of the covered veteran) or such health 19 care provider submits to the Secretary a notification in 20 such form and containing such information and assur- 21 ances as the Secretary determines appropriate, except the 22 Secretary may not require such notification to be sub- 23 mitted earlier than 96 hours after the date on which such 24 health care provider furnishes such emergency treatment 25 to such covered veteran.’’. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:45 Jun 16, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3644.IH H3644 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 3644 IH (2) EMERGENCY TREATMENT DEFINED.—Sub- 1 section (o) of such section is amended— 2 (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 3 paragraph (3); and 4 (B) by inserting after paragraph (1), the 5 following new paragraph: 6 ‘‘(2) The term ‘emergency treatment’ has the 7 meaning given such term in section 1725 of this 8 title.’’. 9 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 10 subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is one 11 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:45 Jun 16, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3644.IH H3644 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB