Veterans (Veteran Healthcare)

in committee · United States · House May 12, 2025

HR 3027: Green Star Families Act

HR 3027, the Green Star Families Act, establishes a free counseling program for the next of kin (like spouses, children, or parents) and former volunteer caregivers who provided unpaid care for at least three months to veterans who died by suicide. The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide counseling services that are reasonably accessible and comparable to existing VA services, potentially partnering with state or private organizations. It mandates that the VA implement this program within 90 days of the bill's enactment. The law directly affects veterans' families and unpaid caregivers who lose a veteran to suicide, offering them accessible mental health support through the VA system.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates free mental health counseling for veterans' families, expanding access to healthcare services for bereaved caregivers under VA mandate.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill establishes free counseling for families/caregivers of veterans who died by suicide, expanding VA support beyond veterans to their loved ones, directly advancing veterans' benefits and recognition.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Military Families Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Mar 27, 2025

HR 1972: START Act of 2025

HR 1972 (START Act of 2025) amends VA referral rules to change when Community Care referrals become valid. It requires that the validity period for VA referrals to non-VA providers begins on the day a veteran has their first appointment with that provider, not the date the referral was issued. This directly affects veterans using the VA's Community Care Program who seek care outside VA facilities. The change aims to align referral validity with actual appointment scheduling, reducing administrative delays.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves veteran access to community care by aligning referral validity with actual appointments, reducing administrative barriers to healthcare services.85% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransAmends VA referral rules to align validity with actual appointment dates, reducing administrative barriers for veterans using Community Care Program, improving healthcare access.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House May 23, 2025

HR 3594: Gold Star Spouses Health Care Enhancement Act

The Gold Star Spouses Health Care Enhancement Act removes a three-year waiting period that previously prevented surviving spouses of military members who died in the line of duty (known as Gold Star spouses) from immediately accessing TRICARE Prime medical and dental benefits. The bill amends existing law to eliminate this time limit, allowing these spouses to qualify for coverage without delay, regardless of when their military spouse died. This change applies retroactively to all affected spouses, even if the death occurred before the bill's enactment. The legislation directly expands health care access for Gold Star spouses by removing a key barrier to receiving military health benefits.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves waiting period for Gold Star spouses to access TRICARE health benefits, expanding immediate healthcare access without delay.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransRemoves 3-year waiting period for Gold Star spouses to access TRICARE healthcare, directly expanding benefits for military families tied to veteran service.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Military Families National Guard & Reserve Veteran Healthcare

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in committee · United States · House Dec 19, 2025

HR 748: RELIEVE Act

The RELIEVE Act modifies veterans' access to emergency care reimbursement under VA law. It removes the requirement for veterans to have previously received VA care before qualifying for emergency treatment reimbursement during the first 60 days after enrolling in the VA healthcare system. This change directly affects new VA enrollees seeking emergency medical care within that initial 60-day window, eliminating a prior barrier to immediate coverage. The amendment applies to emergency treatment provided one year after the bill's enactment date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves prior care requirement, expanding immediate emergency coverage for new VA enrollees without barriers.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransRemoves prior VA care requirement for emergency reimbursement, expanding access to new enrollees' emergency care within 60 days of enrollment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Nov 20, 2025

HR 5946: Stamp Out Veterans Medical Debt Act

HR 5946, the "Stamp Out Veterans Medical Debt Act," creates a special postage stamp sold by the U.S. Postal Service to raise funds for paying veterans' outstanding medical debt. The bill requires all revenue from stamp sales to be transferred directly to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where it is used to reduce unresolved copayments and coinsurance bills for veterans who received care through VA facilities or the Community Care Program. The stamp must be available by Veterans Day each year and has no sales limits, allowing public contributions to directly offset veterans' medical debt. This bill directly affects veterans with unpaid medical bills and enables the public to support debt relief through a simple postage purchase.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new revenue via postage stamps to fund VA medical debt relief, directly supporting budget allocation for veterans' healthcare services.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds VA medical debt relief via special stamps, reducing veterans' out-of-pocket costs and improving access to care through direct VA payment of unresolved copayments.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill creates postage stamp revenue to directly fund VA medical debt relief for veterans, explicitly advancing healthcare benefits through dedicated funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Memorials & Recognition Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare

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in committee · United States · House May 8, 2025

HR 2828: VA DATA Access Transparency and Accountability Act of 2025

This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from sharing veterans' personal data - including health, financial, and identifying information - with the U.S. DOGE Service (Department of Government Efficiency). It bans any special government employee from accessing or using veteran data for commercial purposes or non-governmental reasons, requiring them to return all data upon termination. The law specifically protects sensitive information like medical records, Social Security numbers, and biometric data from unauthorized use or retention. It directly affects VA data-sharing practices and ensures veteran privacy by restricting access to their personal information.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects veterans' health data privacy, aligning with patient rights protection in healthcare policies.92% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly protects veterans' data privacy by prohibiting unauthorized sharing and misuse of sensitive information, aligning with data privacy safeguards in technology policy.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill prohibits VA from sharing veterans' sensitive data (health, financial) with unauthorized entities, directly protecting privacy and security of benefits/healthcare information.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Apr 16, 2026

HR 6848: Whole Health for Veterans Act

HR 6848, the Whole Health for Veterans Act, eliminates copayments for Whole Health well-being services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill requires the VA to cover these services - such as wellness coaching, meditation, yoga, and skill-building courses - without out-of-pocket costs for most veterans, with a maximum $30 monthly copayment allowed for some. Priority groups 1-5 (veterans already exempt under current policy) remain fully exempt, while other veterans may face the $30 cap. This policy change directly affects all VA-enrolled veterans seeking these non-medical wellness services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEliminates copayments for VA wellness, meditation, and yoga services, expanding access to mental health and preventive care without cost barriers.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEliminates VA copayments for wellness services (yoga, meditation), expanding access to holistic care without out-of-pocket costs for most veterans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health

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passed · United States · House May 20, 2026

HR 3482: Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act

HR 3482, the Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act, requires the VA to replace its current process for scheduling community care appointments with a new IT system. The bill mandates that VA schedulers use this system to book appointments for veterans at non-VA providers participating in the Veterans Community Care Program, allowing them to view, search, and schedule appointments by care type, location, and date. Non-VA providers must be encouraged to join the program through VA outreach, including a public website with participation details. The new system must be implemented within 90 days for regulations and one year for full operation, with reporting requirements to Congress. This change directly affects veterans seeking community care and non-VA providers participating in the program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves veterans access to community healthcare by modernizing appointment scheduling system, strengthening care delivery.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransMandates new IT system to streamline community care scheduling, improving veterans' access to appointments at non-VA providers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Mar 27, 2025

HR 1970: Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act

The Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to reimburse State homes or provide medications directly for certain high-cost drugs used by veterans in State-run nursing homes. A medication is defined as high-cost if its price (including a 3% fee) exceeds 8.5% of the VA's monthly payment for the veteran's care at that home. This applies specifically to State homes that provide such medications to veterans under VA contracts. The bill ensures veterans receive essential medications without financial burden on the State homes, using clear cost thresholds to determine eligibility.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnsures veterans access to essential high-cost medications via VA reimbursement/direct provision, directly improving healthcare access for a vulnerable population.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransRequires VA to reimburse state homes for high-cost veteran medications, ensuring access to essential healthcare without financial burden.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

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in committee · United States · House May 12, 2025

HR 1987: Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025

Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a program to provide, upon request, a firearm lockbox (or voucher for such item) to eligible individuals. Currently, there is a pilot program under which certain veterans may be prescribed a lockbox by a VA clinician. The VA must also provide information with respect to the benefits of and options for secure firearm storage. The VA must develop an informational video on the secure storage of firearms as a suicide prevention strategy and publish the video on its website. Additionally, the VA must publish information to inform individuals who participate in the lockbox program that such lockboxes are not for resale. The VA must also implement a public education campaign to educate eligible individuals about the availability of lockboxes under the program and that participation in the program does not affect the rights of an individual with respect to the lawful ownership of a firearm.

Topics ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransMandates VA to provide firearm lockboxes/vouchers and secure storage info to veterans, expanding safety services and benefits without restrictions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing Veteran Mental Health

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