News
House Veterans Committee Approves Comprehensive Legislative Package to Improve Veterans Care and Augment Needed Services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2008
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, July 16, 2008, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee led by Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA), approved seven bills that would improve health care delivery and augment services for veterans provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Chairman Filner offered the following statement: "I look forward to working with my colleagues in this Congress so that we can further increase access and improve health care treatment for our veterans. Today, we have combined several bills into comprehensive and bi-partisan pieces of legislation that that go a long way to address the health care needs of our veterans and provide for their necessary and earned benefits."
The following bills were reported favorably from the Committee:
H.R. 6445, as amended – The Veterans Health Care Policy Enhancement Act of 2008 (Rep. Cazayoux)
Provisions of this bill include:
Prohibiting the collection of copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled (Category Group 4) for hospital or nursing home care,
Removing the requirement for written informed consent for HIV testing among veterans thereby reducing existing barriers to the early diagnosis of HIV infection and would require VA to follow the same standard of HIV care that is recommended to non-VA patients,
Directing VA to develop and implement a comprehensive policy on the management of pain experienced by veterans enrolled for health care services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs,
Mandating the VA to centralize third party billing functions at consolidated centers, instead of individual VA Medical Centers, and
Repealing the specification that in order for family members of non-service connected veterans to be eligible for counseling services, the counseling must be essential to permit the discharge of the veteran from the hospital.
2. H.R 1527, as amended – Rural Veterans Access to Care Act (Rep. Jerry Moran)
The bill would establish a pilot program to allow certain veterans to receive covered health services through a non-Department health care provider. For a three year period, veterans defined as "highly rural" that receive care in Veteran Integrated Services Network 1, 15, 18 and 19, would be permitted to receive covered health services through providers other than the VA.
3. H.R. 2192, as amended – Establishment of the Ombudsman in the Veterans Health Administration (Rep. Hodes)
This bill establishes an Office of the Ombudsman in the Veterans Health Administration to act as a liaison for veterans and their family member with respect to receiving health care and serve as a last resort for resolving issues that cannot be resolved at local or regional level.
4. H.R. 4255, as amended –United States Olympic Committee Paralympic Program Act of 2008 (Rep. Filner)
The bill would authorize the VA to make a grant to the United States Olympic Committee to provide and develop activities for service members and veterans with physical disabilities. (Rep. Filner)
5. H.R 6225, as amended – Improving SCRA and USERRA Protections Act of 2008 (Rep. Herseth Sandlin)
Provisions of this bill include:
Ensuring that equitable relief is available to all Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) victims when appropriate,
Protecting the student service member by capping interest at six percent during deployments, require institutes of higher learning to refund tuition and fees for unearned credit, and in addition, guarantee our servicemembers a place when they return to school,
Providing a servicemember 13 months to begin paying their student loans after an activation should they decide not to return to school immediately,
Amending the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to cover service contracts to allow our men and women in uniform with deployment orders to more easily terminate or suspend their service contracts without fee or penalty, and
Amending the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow a military spouse to claim the same state as the service member in regards to state and property taxes, and voter registration.
6. H. R. 6221, as amended – Improving Veterans’ Opportunities in Education and Business Act (Rep. Boozman)
Provisions of this bill include:
Requiring the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include in each contract the Secretary enters for the acquisition of goods and services a provision that requires the contractee to comply with the contracting goals and preferences for small business concerns owned or controlled by veterans,
Conducting a five-year pilot project to expand on existing work-study activities for veterans and allow those veterans the option of working in academic departments and student services, and
Assisting veterans in obtaining meaningful employment after their military service by reimbursing employers to offset their cost of training recently separated service members that could lead to permanent employment.
7. H.R. 674 – Repeal the Law Requiring Termination of the Advisory Committee no Minority Veterans (Rep. Gutierrez)
This bill would eliminate the provision in current law that requires the VA Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans to cease to exist on December 31, 2009.
Chairman Filner concluded, "I believe that the tireless work of the members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee has provided this Congress with strong legislation which will help to improve the lives of our Nation’s veterans."