Bill text replaced
This bill's text was replaced via an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Some metadata (subjects, policy area, committees) may reflect the original bill and not the current text.
Summary
The Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025 proposes to expand and codify the rules for when veterans can seek medical care from private providers instead of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It would require the VA to notify veterans of their eligibility for private care within two business days and would give healthcare providers more time to submit claims for reimbursement. The bill also aims to create a new online portal where veterans could independently schedule appointments, track their referrals, and appeal decisions regarding their care.
Additionally, the legislation focuses on improving mental health services by standardizing how veterans are screened for residential treatment programs. It would require the VA to track how quickly facilities admit patients and create a formal appeal process for veterans who are denied admission or face long wait times for a bed. These changes are intended to ensure that veterans seeking help for mental health or substance abuse disorders receive more predictable and timely care.
AI-generated summary
Lifecycle of the Bill
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Mar 11, 2025
HearingSenateMeeting
Mar 11, 2025 · 14:30
Hearings to examine S.124, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for disciplinary procedures for supervisors and managers at the Department of Veterans Affairs and to modify the procedures of personnel actions against employees of the Department, S.201, to provide for a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the prevalence and mortality of cancer among individuals who served as active duty aircrew in the Armed Forces, S.275, to improve the provision of care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.410, to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to improve benefits and services for surviving spouses, S.478, to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from transmitting certain information to the Department of Justice for use by the national instant criminal background check system, S.607, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.610, to expand the VetSuccess on Campus program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.611, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and to expand eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation paid to certain survivors of certain veterans, S.654, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, S.702, to require a study on the quality of care difference between mental health and addiction therapy care provided by health care providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs compared to non-Department providers, S.787, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a commission to review operations at the Veterans Health Administration and submit to Congress reports with respect to that review, and for other programs, S.831, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve telephone communication by the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.892, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the repayment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of benefits misused by a fiduciary, an original bill entitled, "Veterans' Claims Act of 2025", and an original bill entitled, "Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act".
Summary
The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing on March 11, 2025 to examine 12 bills aimed at improving Department of Veterans Affairs operations and services. The bills covered a broad range of veterans' issues, including VA employee accountability, fraud reimbursement, mental health care quality, healthcare access, telephone communications, and benefits for survivors and specific veteran populations. Key bills examined included S.124, the Restore VA Accountability Act, which would modify disciplinary procedures for VA supervisors and managers while protecting whistleblowers; S.892, the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act, which would expedite reimbursement to veterans whose benefits were misused by fiduciaries; S.275, the Veterans' ACCESS Act, which would establish standardized eligibility standards for community care and require the VA to notify veterans of their eligibility within two business days; S.702, which would require a study comparing mental health care quality between VA and non-VA providers; and S.831, the REP VA Act, which would require the VA to use a single telephone number and proper caller identification for outgoing calls to veterans. The hearing also examined bills addressing cancer studies for military aircrew, expanding the VetSuccess on Campus program, improving survivor benefits, protecting veterans' privacy regarding background checks, improving appointment scheduling, establishing an external provider scheduling program, and creating a commission to review Veterans Health Administration operations. The committee heard testimony from VA officials and representatives of veterans service organizations, including the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The hearing represents the committee's initial consideration of these proposals. While the hearing allows the committee to gather information and assess the bills' merits, it does not guarantee that any of the legislation will advance. The committee may choose to mark up, amend, or reject any of these bills in subsequent proceedings.
Video
Watch videoCommittee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jul 30, 2025
HearingSenateMeeting
Jul 30, 2025 · 20:00
Business meeting to consider S.275, to improve the provision of care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.506, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to coordinate, navigate, and manage care and benefits for veterans enrolled in both the Medicare program and the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.607, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.610, to expand the VetSuccess on Campus program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.635, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recognize nurse registries for purposes of the Veterans Community Care Program, S.654, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, S.702, to require a study on the quality of care difference between mental health and addiction therapy care provided by health care providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs compared to non-Department providers, S.778, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.787, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a commission to review operations at the Veterans Health Administration and submit to Congress reports with respect to that review, and for other programs, S.800, to modify the Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.827, to extend and modify the transportation grant program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.831, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve telephone communication by the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.879, to expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, S.972, to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs repays members of the Armed Forces for certain contributions made by such members towards Post-9/11 Educational Assistance, S.1139, to amend the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 to modify and reauthorize the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.1245, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health care and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for military sexual trauma, S.1318, to direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly represent their religion and heritage, S.1320, to direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take certain steps regarding research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women's health, S.1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, S.1441, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit entities to assist such entities in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, S.1533, to amend title 38, United States Code, to make permanent and codify the pilot program for use of contract physicians for disability examinations, S.1591, to amend title 38, United States Code, to reorganize the acquisition structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to establish the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Department, S.2392, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2025, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and S.2393, to authorize a major medical facility project for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Summary
The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a business meeting on July 30, 2025 to consider 24 bills aimed at improving veterans' care and benefits. The bills addressed a wide range of issues affecting veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs, including improvements to the Veterans Community Care Program, coordination of care for seniors enrolled in both Medicare and VA, mental health and addiction therapy quality assessments, expansion of the VetSuccess on Campus program, and lactation spaces in VA medical centers. Additional bills focused on family caregiver benefits, military sexual trauma care, service dog programs, disability compensation increases, and facility improvements. As a business meeting rather than a hearing with external witnesses, the session was focused on committee consideration of the legislation rather than testimony from outside parties. The bills covered diverse veteran needs including mental health support, education and employment assistance, women's health research, religious heritage recognition for fallen servicemembers, and accessibility improvements. Business meetings of this type allow committees to review and potentially advance legislation, though consideration in committee does not guarantee a bill will be voted on or passed by the full Senate.
Video
Watch videoCommittee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Mar 11, 2025
HearingSenateMeeting
Mar 11, 2025 · 14:30
Hearings to examine S.124, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for disciplinary procedures for supervisors and managers at the Department of Veterans Affairs and to modify the procedures of personnel actions against employees of the Department, S.201, to provide for a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the prevalence and mortality of cancer among individuals who served as active duty aircrew in the Armed Forces, S.275, to improve the provision of care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.410, to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to improve benefits and services for surviving spouses, S.478, to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from transmitting certain information to the Department of Justice for use by the national instant criminal background check system, S.607, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.610, to expand the VetSuccess on Campus program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.611, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and to expand eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation paid to certain survivors of certain veterans, S.654, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, S.702, to require a study on the quality of care difference between mental health and addiction therapy care provided by health care providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs compared to non-Department providers, S.787, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a commission to review operations at the Veterans Health Administration and submit to Congress reports with respect to that review, and for other programs, S.831, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve telephone communication by the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.892, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the repayment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of benefits misused by a fiduciary, an original bill entitled, "Veterans' Claims Act of 2025", and an original bill entitled, "Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act".
Summary
The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing on March 11, 2025 to examine 12 bills aimed at improving Department of Veterans Affairs operations and services. The bills covered a broad range of veterans' issues, including VA employee accountability, fraud reimbursement, mental health care quality, healthcare access, telephone communications, and benefits for survivors and specific veteran populations. Key bills examined included S.124, the Restore VA Accountability Act, which would modify disciplinary procedures for VA supervisors and managers while protecting whistleblowers; S.892, the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act, which would expedite reimbursement to veterans whose benefits were misused by fiduciaries; S.275, the Veterans' ACCESS Act, which would establish standardized eligibility standards for community care and require the VA to notify veterans of their eligibility within two business days; S.702, which would require a study comparing mental health care quality between VA and non-VA providers; and S.831, the REP VA Act, which would require the VA to use a single telephone number and proper caller identification for outgoing calls to veterans. The hearing also examined bills addressing cancer studies for military aircrew, expanding the VetSuccess on Campus program, improving survivor benefits, protecting veterans' privacy regarding background checks, improving appointment scheduling, establishing an external provider scheduling program, and creating a commission to review Veterans Health Administration operations. The committee heard testimony from VA officials and representatives of veterans service organizations, including the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The hearing represents the committee's initial consideration of these proposals. While the hearing allows the committee to gather information and assess the bills' merits, it does not guarantee that any of the legislation will advance. The committee may choose to mark up, amend, or reject any of these bills in subsequent proceedings.
Video
Watch videoCommittee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jul 30, 2025
HearingSenateMeeting
Jul 30, 2025 · 20:00
Business meeting to consider S.275, to improve the provision of care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.506, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to coordinate, navigate, and manage care and benefits for veterans enrolled in both the Medicare program and the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.607, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.610, to expand the VetSuccess on Campus program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.635, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recognize nurse registries for purposes of the Veterans Community Care Program, S.654, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, S.702, to require a study on the quality of care difference between mental health and addiction therapy care provided by health care providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs compared to non-Department providers, S.778, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.787, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a commission to review operations at the Veterans Health Administration and submit to Congress reports with respect to that review, and for other programs, S.800, to modify the Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.827, to extend and modify the transportation grant program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.831, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve telephone communication by the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.879, to expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, S.972, to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs repays members of the Armed Forces for certain contributions made by such members towards Post-9/11 Educational Assistance, S.1139, to amend the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 to modify and reauthorize the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.1245, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health care and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for military sexual trauma, S.1318, to direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly represent their religion and heritage, S.1320, to direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take certain steps regarding research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women's health, S.1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, S.1441, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit entities to assist such entities in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, S.1533, to amend title 38, United States Code, to make permanent and codify the pilot program for use of contract physicians for disability examinations, S.1591, to amend title 38, United States Code, to reorganize the acquisition structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to establish the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Department, S.2392, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2025, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and S.2393, to authorize a major medical facility project for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Summary
The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a business meeting on July 30, 2025 to consider 24 bills aimed at improving veterans' care and benefits. The bills addressed a wide range of issues affecting veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs, including improvements to the Veterans Community Care Program, coordination of care for seniors enrolled in both Medicare and VA, mental health and addiction therapy quality assessments, expansion of the VetSuccess on Campus program, and lactation spaces in VA medical centers. Additional bills focused on family caregiver benefits, military sexual trauma care, service dog programs, disability compensation increases, and facility improvements. As a business meeting rather than a hearing with external witnesses, the session was focused on committee consideration of the legislation rather than testimony from outside parties. The bills covered diverse veteran needs including mental health support, education and employment assistance, women's health research, religious heritage recognition for fallen servicemembers, and accessibility improvements. Business meetings of this type allow committees to review and potentially advance legislation, though consideration in committee does not guarantee a bill will be voted on or passed by the full Senate.
Video
Watch videoCongress
119th Congress
Introduced
Jan 28, 2025
