S.544 - A bill to amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for other purposes.115th Congress (2017-2018)

Shown Here:
Public Law No: 115-26 (04/19/2017)

[115th Congress Public Law 26]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 131 STAT. 129]]

Public Law 115-26
115th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to 
  modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for 
          other purposes. <<NOTE: Apr. 19, 2017 -  [S. 544]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. MODIFICATION OF TERMINATION DATE FOR VETERANS CHOICE 
                              PROGRAM.

    Section 101(p)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability 
Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended by 
striking ``, or the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, whichever occurs first''.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF REQUIREMENT TO ACT AS SECONDARY PAYER FOR 
                    CARE RELATING TO NON-SERVICE-CONNECTED 
                    DISABILITIES AND RECOVERY OF COSTS FOR CERTAIN 
                    CARE UNDER CHOICE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 101(e) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and 
Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is 
amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Other Health-
        care Plan'' and inserting ``Responsibility for Costs of Certain 
        Care'';
            (2) in paragraph (1), in the paragraph heading, by striking 
        ``to secretary'' and inserting ``on health-care plans'';
            (3) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3);
            (4) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2); and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) Recovery of costs for certain care.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In any case in which an eligible 
                veteran is furnished hospital care or medical services 
                under this section for a non-service-connected 
                disability described in subsection (a)(2) of section 
                1729 of title 38, United States Code, or for a condition 
                for which recovery is authorized or with respect to 
                which the United States is deemed to be a third party 
                beneficiary under Public Law 87-693, commonly known as 
                the `Federal Medical Care Recovery Act' (42 U.S.C. 2651 
                et seq.), the Secretary shall recover or collect from a 
                third party (as defined in subsection (i) of such 
                section 1729) reasonable charges for such care or 
                services to the extent that the veteran (or the provider 
                of the care or services) would be eligible to receive 
                payment for such care or services from such third party 
                if the care or services had not been furnished by a 
                department or agency of the United States.

[[Page 131 STAT. 130]]

                    ``(B) Use of amounts.--Amounts collected by the 
                Secretary under subparagraph (A) shall be deposited in 
                the Medical Community Care account of the Department. 
                Amounts so deposited shall remain available until 
                expended.''.

    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (1) of such section is amended 
by striking ``paragraph (4)'' and inserting ``paragraph (2)''.
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO DISCLOSE CERTAIN MEDICAL RECORDS OF VETERANS 
                    WHO RECEIVE NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
                    HEALTH CARE.

    Section 7332(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(H)(i) To a non-Department entity (including private 
        entities and other Federal agencies) that provides hospital care 
        or medical services to veterans as authorized by the Secretary.
            ``(ii) An entity to which a record is disclosed under this 
        subparagraph may not redisclose or use such record for a purpose 
        other than that for which the disclosure was made.''.

    Approved April 19, 2017.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 544 (H.R. 369):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017):
            Apr. 3, considered and passed Senate.
            Apr. 5, considered and passed House.
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2017):
            Apr. 19, Presidential remarks.

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