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

Sec. 638. Modification of authority of licensure of health care professionals providing treatment via telemedicine

Section 1730C of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

(a) In general. Notwithstanding any provision of law regarding the licensure of health care professionals or the prescribing of controlled substances, a covered health care professional may practice the health care profession of the health care professional and prescribe controlled substances at any location in any State or any of the Freely Associated States (as defined in section 1724(f) of this title), regardless of where the covered health care professional or the patient is located, if the covered health care professional is using telemedicine to provide treatment or prescribe controlled substances to an individual under this chapter.

(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

Text this section adds to the law

(4) A health care professional who is a contractor of the Department acting in the scope of a contract with the Department to furnish care in a facility or clinic of the Department and who has an active, current, full, and unrestricted license, registration, or certification in a State to practice the health care profession of the health care professional, excluding the following:

(A) A health care professional located outside a facility or clinic of the Department providing care through the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of this title or a similar authority under the laws administered by the Secretary.

(B) A health care professional conducting disability compensation evaluations pursuant to a contract with the Department.

(3) in subsection (d)—

(A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and

(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph (2):

Text this section adds to the law

(2) State laws that may be inconsistent under paragraph (1) include—

(A) the laws of—

(i) the State of licensure, certification, or registration of the covered health care professional;

(ii) the State of practice of the covered health care professional;

(iii) the State in which the patient is located; or

(iv) the State of residence of the patient; and

(B) such laws specified under subparagraph (A) as incorporated by the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.).

; and

(4) in subsection (e), striking Nothing and inserting Except as provided in subsections (a) and (d), nothing..

D Optimization of Workforce

E Veterans Infrastructure and Transformation

F Other Health Care Matters