H.R. 6774House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Boxing Therapy for Parkinson’s Access Act of 2022

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 9:32 AM UTC

The bill amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code to require the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover boxing‑based exercise classes for veterans diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease or a similar movement disorder. Coverage can be provided at VA facilities or reimbursed if the veteran uses a non‑VA provider, and it applies only to veterans enrolled in VA health care who choose to participate. The new benefit takes effect 180 days after the law is enacted.

Key Provisions

Adds a new Section 1720K directing the VA Secretary to furnish or reimburse boxing‑based exercise classes for eligible veterans.
Defines eligible veterans as those enrolled in VA health care, diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease or a comparable movement disorder, and who elect to use the classes for treatment.
Specifies that the coverage becomes available for services provided on or after 180 days after the Act’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

3 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 28, 2022

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 18, 2022

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E214)

February 18, 2022

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

February 18, 2022

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 28, 2022

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 6774 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Brian HigginsD-NY-26 · Mar 3, 2022

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on the issue of access to effective therapies for Parkinson's disease for our veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 110,000 veterans have…

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on the issue of access to effective therapies for Parkinson's disease for our veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 110,000 veterans have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. While the exact causes of Parkinson's are unknown, many veterans developed the disease after exposure to Agent Orange and other chemicals while serving our Nation.

PD is a lifelong and progressive disease for which there is no cure, and frustratingly little progress has been made in recent decades in the race to find new effective treatments for Parkinson's. The most powerful and common drug for Parkinson's, levodopa, was developed in the 1960s.

But one of the strongest tools we have to fight Parkinson's isn't a drug, it's exercise. Exercise can help manage, slow, or even prevent the progression of Parkinson's symptoms, and help PD patients stay active and avoid isolation in their communities. While many types of exercise have shown to be beneficial for PD patients, boxing has become an increasingly popular exercise for improving the physical, mental, and emotional health of those with PD, and more and more gyms are offering boxing programs specifically for those diagnosed with it. One such gym in my district, Parkinson's Boxing in Kenmore, New York, is dedicated solely to helping those with PD and similar disorders.

But for many veterans with PD, these kinds of programs remain financially out ofreach. We owe it to our veterans and active-duty service members to provide resources for them when dealing with the detrimental effects of toxic substances and degenerative diseases like PD. That is why I have introduced a bill, H.R. 6774, the Boxing Therapy for Parkinson's Access Act, 'that would require the VA to cover boxing exercise classes for veterans who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or similar movement disorders. Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight this issue and how we can better help our veterans access the therapies that we know can make a difference in their fight against Parkinson's disease.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued February 18, 2022

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6774

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 18, 2022

Mr. Higgins of New York (for himself and Mr. LaHood) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide coverage for boxing-based exercise classes for veterans diagnosed with certain movement disorders, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Boxing Therapy for Parkinson’s Access Act of 2022.

Boxing-based exercise classes for treatment of veterans diagnosed with certain movement disorders

(a)

Coverage

Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section (and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accordingly):

1720K.

Boxing-based exercise classes for treatment of certain movement disorders

(a)

Classes

In furnishing medical services under this chapter, the Secretary shall furnish boxing-based exercise classes to a veteran (through the provision of such classes to the veteran at a medical facility of the Department or the reimbursement for such classes provided to the veteran at a non-Department facility) if the veteran—

(1)

is enrolled in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of this title;

(2)

has been diagnosed with a covered movement disorder; and

(3)

elects to participate in such classes for the purpose of treating the covered movement disorder with which the veteran has been diagnosed.

(b)

Covered movement disorder defined

In this section, the term covered movement disorder means Parkinson’s disease or a similar movement disorder.

(b)

Applicability

The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to medical services furnished on or after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.