S. 3401 · 114th Congress
Improving Veterans Care in the Community Act of 2016
Key: what the circles and colors mean
Each circle is a bill. The ring fills as it moves through Congress:
Under the number: the Yea · Nay count of its final (or latest) recorded vote. On a member's page, the small badge is how that member voted: Y Yea / Aye, N Nay / No, P Present, – Not voting.
Gold and violet are only for Yea and Nay; they never mean a party. A member's party is the letter on their photo.
Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 114th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
R
CrapoSponsorNo cosponsors.
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should remain the primary means by which eligible veterans access health care, and (2) the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) needs a simple tool by which it can send veterans into the community to receive health care when appropriate.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Sep 27, 2016
Improving Veterans Care in the Community Act of 2016
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should remain the primary means by which eligible veterans access health care, and (2) the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) needs a simple tool by which it can send veterans into the community to receive health care when appropriate.
The bill establishes the Care in the Community Program to furnish specified hospital care and medical services to eligible veterans through certain individuals and entities, including through the use of contracts or agreements.
The VA shall: (1) administer the program through its Non-VA Care Coordination Program, and (2) establish an interdisciplinary panel to assist in developing a new clinical appeals process for resolving VA health care disputes.
The Government Accountability Office shall report on: (1) clinical operations of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), (2) the VA travel benefits program, (3) management of the VA's Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs, and (4) payment by the VA for health care furnished to veterans through non-VA health care providers.
The bill repeals specified authorities for emergency treatment reimbursement and contracts for care in non-VA facilities.
The bill establishes in the VHA a Payment and Access Commission, which shall: (1) review and make recommendations to Congress regarding VHA policies and regulations affecting veterans health care access, including topics affected by the Care in the Community Program; and (2) create an early-warning system to identify provider shortage areas.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Improving Veterans Care in the Community Act of 2016
Latest action (Sep 27, 2016): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Sep 27, 2016
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.