H.R. 5097 — Introduced in House

I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5097 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 14, 2014 Mr. Boustany introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to allow certain veterans to participate in the Patient-Centered Community Care program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Local Care for Veterans Act. 2. Participation in Patient-Centered Community Care program (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that a veteran described in subsection (b) may elect to receive health care treatment and services under the Patient-Centered Community Care program. (b) Veteran described A veteran described in this subsection is a veteran whom the Secretary determines meets the following criteria: (1) The veteran is enrolled in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code. (2) The veteran resides not more than 50 miles from the nearest facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs that— (A) the Secretary has identified— (i) in a prospectus level lease request, regardless of the date of such request, as being deficient with respect to providing certain treatment or services; or (ii) as needing expansion; and (B) the Secretary determines that such a deficiency has not been resolved or such an expansion has not occurred, including pursuant to leases entered into under an Act authorizing major medical facility leases. (c) Health care treatment and services The health care treatment and services a veteran may receive under this section shall be— (1) the treatment and services identified as being deficient if the veteran lives not more than 50 miles from a facility described in clause (i) of subsection (b)(2)(A); and (2) the treatment and services the veteran is eligible for under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, if the veteran lives not more than 50 miles from a facility described in clause (ii) of such subsection.