Veterans Health Care Cost Recovery Act of 2003

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1562 Reported in House (RH)]

Union Calendar No. 104
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1562

[Report No. 108-114, Part I]

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the authority of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to recover costs of medical care
furnished to veterans and other persons by the Department from third
parties that provide health insurance coverage to such veterans and
other persons.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 2, 2003

Mr. Beauprez (for himself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Evans, Mr.
Simmons, and Mr. Rodriguez) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

May 19, 2003

Reported with amendments and referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means for a period ending not later than May 23, 2003, for
consideration of such provisions of the bill and amendments as fall
within the jurisdiction of that committee pursuant to clause 1(s), rule
X
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]

May 23, 2003

Referral to the Committee on Ways and Means extended for a period
ending not later than June 13, 2003

June 13, 2003

Referral to the Committee on Ways and Means extended for a period
ending not later than June 27, 2003

June 27, 2003

Referral to the Committee on Ways and Means extended for a period
ending not later than July 11, 2003

July 11, 2003

Committee on Ways and Means discharged; committed to the Committee of
the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April
2, 2003]

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the authority of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to recover costs of medical care
furnished to veterans and other persons by the Department from third
parties that provide health insurance coverage to such veterans and
other persons.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Health Care Cost Recovery
Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO RECOVER MEDICAL
COSTS FROM THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS AS IF IT IS A PREFERRED
PROVIDER ORGANIZATION.

(a) In General.--Section 1729(f) of title 38, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The
absence of a participation agreement or other contractual arrangement
entered into by the Secretary with a person obligated to provide, or to
pay, the expenses of health services under a health-plan contract or
with a third party that is a preferred provider organization may not be
used or operate to prevent, or reduce the amount of, any such recovery
or collection by the United States.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
apply only with respect to care and services furnished under chapter 17
of title 38, United States Code, on and after the date of the enactment
of this Act.

SEC. 3. RECOVERY OF COSTS OF HEALTH CARE AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO
PERSONS OTHER THAN VETERANS.

(a) Cost Recovery.--Section 1729 of title 38, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(j)(1) Whenever the Secretary furnishes care and services to a
person other than a veteran, the United States shall have the right to
recover or collect charges for such care or services in the same
manner, and to the same extent, as is provided under this section for
care and services furnished to a veteran, except that for such purpose
the terms `health-plan contract' and `third-party' shall have the
meanings set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively, of section
1725(f) of this title.
``(2) The amounts of charges under paragraph (1) shall be in such
amounts as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation.''.
(b) Technical Amendments.--Subsection (a)(2) of such section is
amended--
(1) by inserting ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (C); and
(2) by striking subparagraphs (D) and (E) and inserting the
following:
``(D) that is incurred by a veteran who is entitled to care
(or payment of the expenses of care) under a health-plan
contract, but, in the case of a veteran who has a service-connected
disability, only with respect to care and services furnished before
October 1, 2007.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
apply only with respect to care and services furnished under chapter 17
of title 38, United States Code, on and after the date of the enactment
of this Act.

SEC. 4. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE FACILITY,
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

The Department of Veterans Affairs health care facility located at
820 South Damen Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, shall after the date of
the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``Jesse Brown
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''. Any reference to such
facility in any law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record
of the United States shall be considered to be a reference to the Jesse
Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

SEC. 5. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CLINIC, NEW
LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

The Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic located in New
London, Connecticut, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act
be known and designated as the ``John J. McGuirk Department of Veterans
Affairs Outpatient Clinic''. Any reference to such outpatient clinic in
any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the
United States shall be considered to be a reference to the John J.
McGuirk Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend title 38,
United States Code, to enhance the authority of the Department
of Veterans Affairs to recover costs of medical care furnished
to veterans and other persons by the Department from third
parties that provide health insurance coverage to such veterans
and other persons, and for other purposes.''.

Union Calendar No. 104

108th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1562

[Report No. 108-114, Part I]

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the authority of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to recover costs of medical care
furnished to veterans and other persons by the Department from third
parties that provide health insurance coverage to such veterans and
other persons.

_______________________________________________________________________

July 11, 2003

Committee on Ways and Means discharged; committed to the Committee of
the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed