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II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1951
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand entitlement of veterans
to care from the Department of Veterans Affairs and to guarantee
health care benefits for veterans enrolled in the patient enrollment system
of the Department, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JUNE 13, 2023
Mr. SANDERS (for himself and Mr. WELCH) 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 expand entitle-
ment of veterans to care from the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs and to guarantee health care benefits for
veterans enrolled in the patient enrollment system of
the Department, 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 ‘‘Department of Vet-
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erans Affairs Income Eligibility Standardization Act’’.
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•S 1951 IS
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ENTITLEMENT OF VETERANS TO
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CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
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FAIRS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1710(a) of title 38,
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United States Code, is amended—
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(1) in paragraph (3)—
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(A) by striking ‘‘may, to the extent re-
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sources and facilities are available and’’ and in-
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serting a comma; and
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(B) by striking ‘‘furnish hospital care,
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medical services, and nursing home care’’ and
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inserting ‘‘shall furnish hospital care and med-
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ical services, and may furnish nursing home
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care’’; and
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(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘paragraphs
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(1) and (2)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (1), (2), and
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(3)’’.
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(b) PRIORITY.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
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shall eliminate all subcategories of priority for enrollment
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established by the Secretary for veterans eligible for en-
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rollment under paragraph (8) of section 1705(a) of title
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38, United States Code, and shall ensure that all veterans
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eligible for enrollment under such paragraph may enroll
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in the patient enrollment system of the Department of
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Veterans Affairs under such section.
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•S 1951 IS
SEC. 3. GUARANTEE OF HEALTH CARE BENEFITS FOR VET-
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ERANS ENROLLED IN PATIENT ENROLLMENT
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SYSTEM OF DEPARTMENT.
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The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that
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all veterans, once enrolled in the patient enrollment system
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of the Department of Veterans Affairs under section
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1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, remain enrolled
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in such system and may continue receiving health care fur-
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nished by the Department if they choose, subject to such
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cost-sharing requirements as may apply to the veteran
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under existing provisions of law.
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Æ
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