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HB 5415 Connecticut House · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A VETERANS' AND MILITARY HEALTHCARE OMBUDSMAN FOR THE COORDINATION AND OVERSIGHT OF STATE AND LOCAL RESOURCES IN NAVIGATING FEDERAL HEALTH CARE BENEFITS FOR VETERANS, MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

HB 5415 establishes a Veterans' Health Care Ombudsman within the Office of Governmental Accountability to help veterans and their caregivers navigate the federal VA health care system. The ombudsman will resolve complaints about access to VA benefits, compile data on barriers, provide education about VA resources, and make recommendations to improve coordination. The Governor must appoint an expert in veterans' health care to lead the office, which will develop an educational course and submit annual reports starting in 2028. This bill directly affects veterans eligible for VA health care and their caregivers who face challenges accessing federal benefits through state and local support systems.
Issues: ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes ombudsman to improve veterans' access to VA healthcare benefits by resolving barriers and providing navigation support, directly enhancing patient access to existing services.85% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEstablishes ombudsman to resolve VA access issues, compile barriers data, and improve coordination - directly advancing veterans' healthcare navigation.95% confidence
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 26, 2026 Last action Apr 15, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Raised Bill → VA Joint Favorable Substitute · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was renamed from the 'Veterans' Health Care Ombudsman' to the 'Veterans' and Military Healthcare Ombudsman' to broaden its scope. The new version expands eligibility to include active and retired members of the armed forces, National Guard, and their families, in addition to veterans. It also shifts the office's administrative home from the Office of Governmental Accountability to the Office of the Healthcare Advocate and adds the Adjutant General as a required consultant for the new education course.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from serving only veterans to also serving active duty, retired, and National Guard military personnel and their families.
SCOPE

The office title and mission were updated to include 'Military Healthcare' to reflect a broader mandate.

ELIGIBILITY

Services now cover active and retired military members, National Guard, and their families, not just veterans.

REQUIREMENT

The education course must now be developed in consultation with both the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and the Adjutant General.

DEFINITION

The office's administrative location was changed from the Office of Governmental Accountability to the Office of the Healthcare Advocate.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
3
Committee
4
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Joint Favorable
lower
Apr 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
REF. BY HOUSE TO COMMITTEE ON Appropriations
lower
Mar 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Joint Favorable Substitute
lower
Feb 26, 2026
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Veterans' and Military Affairs
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.