H.R. 7589 — Introduced in House

I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7589 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 26, 2022Mr. Takano introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the imposition or collection of copayments for certain mental health outpatient care visits of veterans, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Reduce and Eliminate Mental Health Outpatient Veteran Copays Act or the REMOVE Copays Act. 2. Prohibition on imposition or collection of copayments for certain mental health outpatient care visits of veterans (a) Prohibition Section 1722B of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in the section heading, by striking collection and all that follows through veterans and inserting and prohibition on collection of copayments for certain visits of veterans; (2) by striking The Secretary may and inserting (a) Telehealth and telemedicine visits.—The Secretary may; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (b) Mental health outpatient care visits The Secretary may not impose or collect any copayment under the laws administered by the Secretary with respect to any veteran enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment established under section 1705(a) of this title for the first three mental health outpatient care visits of the veteran in a calendar year. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 1722B and inserting the following new item: 1722B. Copayments: waiver of and prohibition on collection of copayments for certain visits of veterans. . (c) Applicability The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to mental health outpatient care visits occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.