TRAVEL Act of 2025
Description
This bill would authorize the VA to assign traveling physicians to provide health care to veterans living in U.S. territories.
Summary
What it does
This bill would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assign physicians to serve as traveling doctors for up to one year to provide healthcare to veterans in U.S. territories, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These physicians would be required to coordinate with non-VA providers to ensure high-quality care for veterans receiving medical services in these locations. Additionally, the VA would be required to provide relocation or retention bonuses to physicians participating in this traveling program.
Who is affected
This bill affects veterans residing in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other U.S. territories who receive care at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. It also impacts physicians within the Veterans Health Administration who may be assigned as traveling physicians for up to one year and receive relocation or retention bonuses. Additionally, non-VA healthcare providers in these territories are affected as they must coordinate with traveling physicians to manage veteran care.
Key provisions
- Establishment of traveling physician assignments. Authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to assign Veterans Health Administration physicians to serve as traveling physicians for terms of up to one year.
- Expansion of health care access in U.S. territories. Requires traveling physicians to provide medical care to veterans at facilities in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other U.S. territories or possessions.
- Coordination with non-VA providers. Directs traveling physicians to coordinate with outside medical providers when necessary to ensure high-quality, integrated hospital care and medical services for veterans.
- Relocation and retention incentives. Mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs provide relocation or retention bonuses to physicians participating in the traveling assignment program.
Fiscal impact
- H.R. 3400, the Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare Act· As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on July 23, 2025
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
The bill expands the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by allowing the agency to designate physicians already appointed within the Veterans Health Administration to serve as traveling physicians in U.S. territories. It also requires these physicians to coordinate with existing non-VA providers to manage veteran care.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to improve access to healthcare for veterans in U.S. territories by authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs to deploy traveling physicians to these regions for up to one year. The initiative seeks to ensure high-quality, coordinated care through collaboration with local providers and the use of recruitment and retention incentives for participating medical staff.