H.R. 9237

Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

Sponsor: Mike Bost

30 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Take Care of America's Veterans Act

This bill addresses veterans’ benefits, health care, counseling, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel, VA infrastructure, and the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP).

The bill modifies various compensation programs for veterans, including by (1) allowing concurrent receipt of disability compensation and military retired pay for certain retirees with a combat-related disability, (2) extending entitlement for various benefits and services to remarried surviving spouses, (3) increasing the rate of dependency and indemnity compensation, and (4) establishing a supplemental monthly allowance for certain disabled veterans.

The bill also addresses VA education and training benefits, including by (1) modifying which independent study programs are covered under veterans’ educational assistance benefits, (2) requiring Transition Assistance Program counseling to include a presentation about VA benefits, and (3) increasing the housing allowance rate for individuals pursuing apprenticeships.

The bill revises health care provisions, including by (1) expanding support and assistance provided to family caregivers, (2) extending the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, and (3) expanding the scope of VA mental health research.

Among other elements, the bill

  • revises VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus;
  • expands eligibility for a memorial headstone or marker for the spouse, surviving spouse, child, or dependent of a veteran or member of the Armed Forces;
  • addresses the administration of the VCCP and codifies the eligibility standards;
  • establishes a standardized screening process for priority or routine admission to certain mental health care programs; and
  • addresses VA personnel, hiring, and infrastructure matters.

Text of the bill

Expand all

I Compensation

II Education and Economic Opportunity

III Health Care

IV Organization

V Memorial Affairs

VI Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers

A Improvement of Veterans Community Care Program

B Mental Health Treatment Programs

C Staffing Matters

D Optimization of Workforce

E Veterans Infrastructure and Transformation

F Other Health Care Matters

Sec. 673. Plan on establishment of interactive, online self-service module for care

(a) In general. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and implement a plan to establish, to the greatest extent practicable, an interactive, online self-service module—

(1) to allow veterans enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code—

(A) to request appointments, track referrals for health care under the laws administered by the Secretary, whether at a facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs or through a non-Department provider, and receive appointment reminders;

(B) to appeal and track decisions relating to—

(i) denials of requests for authorization for care or services under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code; or

(ii) denials of requests for care or services at facilities of the Department, including under section 1710 of such title;

(C) to compare the average wait times for appointments for the type of care sought by the veteran at facilities of the Department and with non-Department facilities and providers through which the Secretary furnishes care and services under section 1703 of such title;

(D) to compare average driving times between their residence and the nearest facility of the Department that provides the care they are seeking and between their residence and the closest non-Department provider that provides the care they are seeking and through which the Secretary furnishes care and services under section 1703 of such title; and

(E) to view a provider directory, information regarding pending medical claims, and explanations of benefits; and

(2) to implement such other matters as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(b) Submittal of plan

(1) Initial plan. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives the plan developed under subsection (a).

(2) Biannual update. Not less frequently than once every 180 days during the two-year period beginning on the submittal of the plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall brief the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives on any updates on the implementation of such plan.