S.Amdt. 2792

SA 2792. Mr. McCAIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 2763 proposed by Mr. Kirk (for himself, Mr. Tester, and
Ms. Mikulski) to the bill H.R. 2029, making appropriations for military
construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of title II, add the following:

SEC. 2___. EXPANSION OF CHOICE PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Elimination of Sunset.--
(1) In general.--Section 101 of the Veterans Access,
Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146;
38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (p); and
(B) by redesignating subsections (q), (r), (s), and (t) as
subsections (p), (q), (r), and (s), respectively.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Such section is amended--
(A) in subsection (i)(2), by striking ``during the period
in which the Secretary is authorized to carry out this
section pursuant to subsection (p)''; and
(B) in subsection (p)(2), as redesignated by paragraph
(1)(B), by striking subparagraph (F).
(b) Expansion of Eligibility.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (b) of such section is amended
to read as follows:
``(b) Eligible Veterans.--A veteran is an eligible veteran
for purposes of this section if the veteran is enrolled in
the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans
Affairs established and operated under section 1705 of title
38, United States Code, including any such veteran who has
not received hospital care or medical services from the
Department and has contacted the Department seeking an
initial appointment from the Department for the receipt of
such care or services.''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Such section is amended--
(A) in subsection (c)(1)--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``In the case of an eligible veteran described in subsection
(b)(2)(A), the Secretary shall, at the election of the
eligible veteran'' and inserting ``The Secretary shall, at
the election of an eligible veteran''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``described in such
subsection'' and inserting ``of the Veterans Health
Administration'';
(B) in subsection (f)(1), by striking ``subsection (b)(1)''
and inserting ``subsection (b)'';
(C) in subsection (g), by striking paragraph (3); and
(D) in subsection (p)(2)(A), as redesignated by subsection
(a)(1)(B), by striking ``, disaggregated by--'' and all that
follows through ``subsection (b)(2)(D)''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply with respect to hospital care and medical
services furnished under section 101 of the Veterans Access,
Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146;
38 U.S.C. 1701 note) on and after the date that is 90 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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