EXCLUSIVE — Veterans would begin to see expanded healthcare options outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs under a new bill being reintroduced by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) on Wednesday.
The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act would allow veterans to choose non-VA-funded healthcare providers by removing the agency from the referral process altogether, according to a copy of the legislation obtained by the Washington Examiner.
LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO EXPAND VETERANS’ ACCESS TO NON-VA PROVIDERS
As a result, the legislation would allow veterans to access primary, specialty, and mental healthcare in the private sector without limiting them to the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
“Our nation’s veterans make many sacrifices in their fight to protect our freedoms, and we must uphold the promise we made to provide them quality healthcare,” Biggs told the Washington Examiner. “Often, veterans experience significant delays and unnecessary bureaucracy when seeking care through the VA healthcare system. My bill frees them of those challenges, opening access to community healthcare options to those who need and want them. I will always have our veterans’ backs and urge my colleagues to move this legislation forward.”
The language of the bill is identical to legislation that was introduced in the previous Congress but failed to make it to the floor for a vote. Now that Republicans hold the House majority, Biggs is seeking to push the legislation through the lower chamber.
The legislation would require the VA Center for Innovation Care and Payment to create a three-year pilot program that improves access to healthcare options in the private sector, according to the bill. The VA would also be required to provide information about eligibility, cost-sharing, treatments, and providers to assist veterans in choosing their care.
The VA would then be required to submit a report to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees detailing the implementation and results of the pilot program along with recommendations. The program would become permanent nationwide four years after the enactment of the legislation.
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If passed, the pilot program would be funded through appropriations made available to the Veterans Health Administration, according to the bill. The proposed program is modeled after the country’s urgent care system and is largely based on recommendations from a congressionally appointed commission.
Biggs is set to introduce the legislation on Wednesday, with a joint version introduced in the Senate by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).
“Tennessee is home to over 400,000 veterans, who deserve the very best care our nation has to offer and the freedom to choose the care that best fits their needs,” Blackburn said. “We should eliminate the layers of bureaucracy and expedite access to Community Care for all veterans. The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act would create a three-year pilot program within the VA that allows veterans to schedule necessary appointments at non-VA medical facilities and gives them access to information about eligibility, cost sharing, treatments, and providers – so that they are empowered to make informed decisions.”
