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Improved Veteran Access to Community Healthcare Beyond VA Facilities

This act aims to make it easier for veterans to access mental health, substance-use, and toxic-exposure care outside traditional Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. This will allow veterans who cannot quickly receive help from the VA to use community services, aiming to reduce waiting times and improve care quality.
Key points
Veterans with mental health or substance-use issues who cannot get timely VA care will gain access to treatment outside VA facilities.
Toxic-exposed veterans will also receive access to healthcare outside VA facilities.
The VA cannot deny access to community care solely because external providers do not meet internal VA wait time standards.
Veterans will be allowed to choose their preferred care option if multiple choices are available.
New quality standards are introduced for external facilities providing mental health and substance-use services.
The VA will be required to report more data on care requests, approvals, and denials, increasing transparency.
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Additional Information
Print number: 117_S_5348
Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
Process start date: 2022-12-21
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Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
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OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Protecting Veteran Community Care Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 117_S_5348.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2022-12-21.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Veterans with mental health or substance-use issues who cannot get timely VA care will gain access to treatment outside VA facilities.
  • Toxic-exposed veterans will also receive access to healthcare outside VA facilities.
  • The VA cannot deny access to community care solely because external providers do not meet internal VA wait time standards.
  • Veterans will be allowed to choose their preferred care option if multiple choices are available.
  • New quality standards are introduced for external facilities providing mental health and substance-use services.
  • The VA will be required to report more data on care requests, approvals, and denials, increasing transparency.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-29.

CATEGORIES

Benefits Health