,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #fadh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #i1 #bjbj,mr4    
,cole 7= himself & ,mrs4 ,luria7        
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices  ,a     
,,bill  ,to am5d title #aj1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 to exp& b5efits available 
"u ! ,,tric>e ,ext5d$ ,heal? ,c>e       
,option program1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,,tric>e ,,e*o ,improvem5t ,act4  #b4   
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7    
,active duty memb]s ( ! uni=m$ s]vices  
enc\nt] difficulties access+ ,home &    
,community-,bas$ ,s]vices 7,,hcbs7      
waiv]s "u ,m$icaid = ! dep5d5ts ( su*   
memb]s :o h intellectual or developm5tal
 disabilities4  7#b7 ,/ate resid5cy     
requirem5ts create b>ri]s to access+ su*
 b5efits = milit>y families :o move     
across ,/ate l9es & are requir$ to      
re5roll ) ea* p]man5t *ange ( /ation4   
7#c7 ,enrollm5t caps = su* waiv]s create
 additional b>ri]s1 & (t5 result 9 wait+

 li/s due to ! dem& = su* waiv]s1       
includ+1 9 #bjag1 an av]age #cj-mon?    
wait "t4  7#d7 ,! ,milit>y ,comp5sation 
& ,retirem5t ,mod]nization ,commission  
conclud$ t 8access to ,,hcbs waiv]      
b5efits is a sub/antial issue = milit>y 
families ''' ,s]vice memb]s are requir$ 
to re-apply = b5efits ea* "t !y move to 
a new /ate4 ,_m ,s]vice memb]s enc\nt]  
wait+ li/s t exce$ _! "t assign$ to a   
location404  7#e7 ,9 #bjja1 ! ,,tric>e  
,ext5d$ ,c>e ,heal? ,option program     
7,,e*o program7 0 e/abli%$ z an         
alt]native to ,,hcbs waiv]s = milit>y   
families4 ,! ,,e*o program provides     
additional m$ical & non-m$ical s]vices n
 cov]$ by ,,tric>e to eligible milit>y  
dep5d5ts ) special ne$s1 = ! purpose (  
assi/+ 9 ! r$uction ( ! disabl+ effects 
( ! qualify+ condition ( ! dep5d5t4     
7#f7 ,! ,milit>y ,comp5sation &         
,retirem5t ,mod]nization ,commission    
conclud$ t1 al?\gh ,,e*o 0 creat$ z an  
alt]native to ,,hcbs waiv] b5efits1     
8,,e*o b5efits1 z curr5tly implem5t$1   

are n robu/ en\gh to replace /ate waiv] 
programs :5 ^? programs are             
inaccessible40  7#g7 ,al?\gh ! purpose (
 ! ,,e*o program is to provide          
supplem5tal s]vices to dep5d5ts )       
special ne$s1 a #bjad /udy conduct$ by !
 ,manp[] ,data ,c5t] ( ! ,dep>tm5t (    
,def5se f\nd t only #cg p]c5t ( milit>y 
families t h a *ild ) special ne$s 7    
aw>e ( ! program4  7#h7 ,! ,conf]5ce    
,report accompany+ ! ,national ,def5se  
,au?orization ,act = ,fiscal ,ye> #bjaj 
/at$ t 8exp&+ support = families )      
special ne$s is a critical requirem5t = 
! all-volunte] =ce404  #c4 ,s5se (      
,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t    
milit>y families des]ve-- 7#a7 equitable
 access to critical s]vices t m9imize ! 
debilitat+ effects ( a disabl+          
condition2 &  7#b7 an evaluation ( !    
effectiv5ess ( curr5t s]vices "u ! ,,e*o
 program4  #d4 ,expansion ( b5efits     
available "u ,,tric>e ,ext5d$ ,heal?    
,c>e ,option program  7a7 ,ext5d$       
b5efits = eligible dep5d5ts ,subsection 

7e7 ( section #ajgi ( title #aj1 ,unit$ 
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ to read z foll[s3
  7e7 7#a7 ,ext5d$ b5efits = eligible   
dep5d5ts "u subsection 7d7 may include  
compreh5sive heal? c>e s]vices 7includ+ 
s]vices necess>y to ma9ta91 or m9imize  
or prev5t det]ioration (1 function ( !  
pati5t7 & case managem5t s]vices )      
respect to ! qualify+ condition ( su* a 
dep5d5t1 & include1 to ! ext5t su*      
b5efits are n provid$ "u provisions (   
?is *apt] o!r ?an "u ?is section1 !     
foll[+3 7,a7 ,diagnosis & scre5+4  7,b7 
,inpati5t1 outpati5t1 & compreh5sive    
home heal? c>e supplies & s]vices :i*   
may include co/ effective & m$ically    
appropriate s]vices o!r ?an "p-"t or    
int]mitt5t s]vices 7)9 ! mean+ ( su*    
t]ms z us$ 9 ! second s5t5ce ( section  
#ahfa7m7 ( ! ,social ,security ,act74   
7,c7 ,rehabilitation & habilitation     
s]vices & devices4  7,d7 ,in/itutional  
c>e 9 private nonpr(it1 public1 & ,/ate 
in/itutions & facilities &1 if          
appropriate1 transportation to & f su*  

in/itutions & facilities4  7,e7         
,cu/odial c>e1 not)/&+ ! prohibition 9  
section #ajgg7;b77#a7 ( ?is title4  7,f7
 ,9 accordance ) p>agraph 7#b71 respite 
c>e = ! prim>y c>egiv] ( ! eligible     
dep5d5t4  7,g7 ,9 accordance ) p>agraph 
7#c71 s]vice & modification ( durable   
equipm5t & assi/ive te*nology devices4  
7,h7 ,special education4  7,i7          
,vocational tra9+1 :i* may be furni%$ to
 an eligible dep5d5t 9 ! resid5ce ( !   
eligible dep5d5t or at a facility 9 :i* 
su* tra9+ is provid$4  7,j7 ,9          
accordance ) p>agraph 7#d71 adaptations 
to ! private resid5ce & vehicle ( !     
eligible dep5d5t4  7,k7 ,su* o!r s]vices
 & supplies z det]m9$ appropriate by !  
,secret>y1 not)/&+ ! limitations 9      
subsection 7a77#ab74  7#b7 ,respite c>e 
"u p>agraph 7#a77;,f7 %all be provid$   
subject to ! foll[+ conditions3 7,a7    
,su* respite c>e %all be limit$ to #ej  
h\rs 9 ea* mon?4  7,b7 ,unus$ h\rs (    
respite c>e may n be c>ri$ ov] to ano!r 
mon?4  7,c7 ,su* respite c>e may be     

provid$ to an eligible b5efici>y        
reg>dless ( :e!r ! eligible b5efici>y is
 receiv+ ano!r b5efit "u ?is subsection4
  7#c7 7,a7 ,s]vice & modification (    
durable equipm5t & assi/ive te*nology   
devices "u p>agraph 7#a77;,g7 may be    
provid$ only ^u det]m9ation by !        
,secret>y t ! s]vice or modification is 
necess>y = ! use ( su* equipm5t or      
device by ! eligible dep5d5t4  7,b7     
,s]vice & modification ( durable        
equipm5t & assi/ive te*nology devices "u
 su* p>agraph may n be provid$-- 7i7 9 !
 case ( misuse1 loss1 or !ft ( !        
equipm5t or device2 or  7ii7 = a deluxe1
 luxury1 or immat]ial feature ( !       
equipm5t or device1 z det]m9$ by !      
,secret>y4  7,c7 ,s]vice & modification 
( durable equipm5t & assi/ive te*nology 
devices "u su* p>agraph may include     
tra9+ ( ! eligible dep5d5t & imm$iate   
family memb]s ( ! eligible dep5d5t on ! 
use ( ! equipm5t or device4  7#d7 7,a7  
,adaptations to ! private resid5ce &    
vehicle ( ! eligible dep5d5t "u p>agraph

 7#a77;,j7 may be provid$ if su*        
adaptations-- 7i7 are det]m9$ to be     
m$ically necess>y by ! provid]          
responsible = ! c>e ( ! eligible dep5d5t
 ) respect to ! qualify+ condition2 &   
7ii7 are necess>y to assi/ 9-- 7,i7 !   
r$uction ( ! disabl+ effects ( !        
qualify+ condition2 or  7,,ii7 ma9t5ance
 ( ! pres5t functionality ( ! eligible  
dep5d5t4  7,b7 ,) respect to a vehicle1 
adaptations may be provid$ "u su*       
p>agraph if ! vehicle is ! prim>y means 
( transportation ( ! eligible dep5d5t4  
4  #e4 ,additional requirem5ts 9 ,(fice 
( ,special ,ne$s annual report ,section 
#agha;c7g77#b7 ( title #aj1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by        
r$esignat+ subp>agraph 7,c7 z           
subp>agraph 7,d72 &  7#b7 by ins]t+ aft]
 subp>agraph 7,b7 ! foll[+ new          
subp>agraph 7,c73  7,c7 ,) respect to ! 
,ext5d$ ,c>e ,heal? ,option program "u  
section #ajgi7;d7 ( ?is title-- 7i7 !   
utilization rates ( s]vices "u su*      
program by eligible dep5d5ts 7z su* t]m 

is def9$ 9 su* section7 dur+ ! prior    
ye>2  7ii7 a description ( gaps 9 su*   
s]vices1 z asc]ta9$ by ! ,secret>y f    
in=mation provid$ by families ( eligible
 dep5d5ts2  7iii7 an assessm5t ( factors
 t prev5t k ( & access to su* program1  
includ+ a discussion ( actions !        
,secret>y may take to address ^!        
factors2 &  7iv7 an assessm5t ( ! av]age
 wait "t = an eligible dep5d5t enroll$ 9
 ! program to access alt]native heal?   
cov]age = a qualify+ condition 7z su*   
t]m is def9$ 9 su* section71 includ+ a  
discussion ( any adv]se heal? outcomes  
associat$ ) su* wait4  4  #f4 ,effective
 date ,! am5dm5ts made by ?is ,act %all 
take effect ,octob] #a1 #bjbj4