,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bjb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #c1 #bjba,mrs4
 ,%ahe5 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0  
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
ensure t vet]ans receive timely &       
effective em]g5cy treatm5t dur+ !       
,,covid-#ai em]g5cy1 & = o!r purposes4  
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,em]g5cy ,c>e = ,vet]ans ,dur+ ,,covid
 ,act4  #b4 ,em]g5cy treatm5t = vet]ans 
dur+ ,,covid-#ai em]g5cy p]iod  7a7     
,em]g5cy treatm5t ,not)/&+ section #agbe
 or #agbh ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates    
,code1 or any o!r provision ( law       
adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs p]ta9+ to furni%+ em]g5cy      
treatm5t to vet]ans at non-,dep>tm5t    
facilities1 dur+ ! p]iod ( a cov]$      
public heal? em]g5cy1 ! ,secret>y (     
,vet]ans ,affairs %all furni% to an     
eligible vet]an em]g5cy treatm5t at a   
non-,dep>tm5t facility 9 accordance )   
?is section4  7b7 ,au?orization n       

requir$ ,! ,secret>y may n require an   
eligible vet]an to seek au?orization by 
! ,secret>y = em]g5cy treatm5t furni%$  
to ! vet]an pursuant to subsection 7a74 
7c7 ,paym5t rates  7#a7 ,det]m9ation ,! 
rate paid = em]g5cy treatm5t furni%$ to 
eligible vet]ans pursuant to subsection 
7a7 %all be equal to ! rate paid by !   
,unit$ ,/ates to a provid] ( s]vices 7z 
def9$ 9 section #ahfa7u7 ( ! ,social    
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciex7u777 or a suppli] 7z def9$ 9     
section #ahfa7;d7 ( su* ,act 7#db       
,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7d777 "u ! ,m$ic>e      
program "u title ,,xi or title ,,xviii (
 ! ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4
 #acja et seq471 includ+ section #ahcd (
 su* ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem71 = !   
same treatm5t4  7#b7 ,f9ality ,a paym5t 
9 ! am\nt payable "u p>agraph 7#a7 =    
em]g5cy treatm5t furni%$ to an eligible 
vet]an pursuant to subsection 7a7 %all  
be consid]$ paym5t 9 full & %all ext+ui%
 ! liability ( ! vet]an to ! provid] (  
su* treatm5t1 unless ! provid] rejects !

 paym5t & refunds to ! ,unit$ ,/ates su*
 am\nt by n lat] ?an #cj days aft]      
receiv+ ! paym5t4  7d7 ,claims process$ 
by ?ird-,p>ty adm9i/rators  7#a7        
,requirem5t ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! 
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !         
,secret>y %all seek to aw>d a contract  
to "o or m entities1 or to modify an    
exi/+ contract1 to process claims =     
paym5t = em]g5cy treatm5t furni%$ to    
eligible vet]ans pursuant to subsection 
7a74  7#b7 ,prompt paym5t /&>d ,section 
#agjc;,d ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates     
,code1 %all apply ) respect to claims = 
paym5t = em]g5cy treatm5t furni%$ to    
eligible vet]ans pursuant to subsection 
7a74  7e7 ,prim>y pay]  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!
 ,secret>y %all be ! prim>y pay] )      
respect to em]g5cy treatm5t furni%$ to  
eligible vet]ans pursuant to subsection 
7a7 & ) respect to ! transportation ( a 
vet]an by ambulance 9 connection ) su*  
em]g5cy treatm5t4  7#b7 ,recov]y (      
reasonable *>ges ,9 any case 9 :i* an   
eligible vet]an is furni%$ em]g5cy      

treatm5t pursuant to subsection 7a7 = a 
non-s]vice-connect$ disability describ$ 
9 subsection 7a77#b7 ( section #agbi (  
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 !       
,secret>y %all recov] or collect        
reasonable *>ges = su* treatm5t f a     
heal?-plan contract describ$ 9          
subsection 7i7 ( su* section 9          
accordance ) su* section4  7f7          
,application ,?is section %all apply to 
em]g5cy treatm5t furni%$ to eligible    
vet]ans dur+ ! p]iod ( a cov]$ public   
heal? em]g5cy1 reg>dless ( :e!r !       
treatm5t 0 furni%$ be=e ! date ( !      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  7g7 ,def9itions ,9
 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m cov]$ public  
heal? em]g5cy means ! decl>ation-- 7,a7 
( a public heal? em]g5cy1 bas$ on an    
outbreak ( ,,covid-#ai1 by ! ,secret>y (
 ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices "u section    
#cai ( ! ,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d72 or  7,b7 ( a    
dome/ic em]g5cy1 bas$ on an outbreak (  
,,covid-#ai1 by ! ,presid5t1 ! ,secret>y
 ( ,homel& ,security1 or a ,/ate or     

local au?ority4  7#b7 ,! t]m eligible   
vet]an means a vet]an enroll$ 9 ! sy/em 
( pati5t enrollm5t ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs e/abli%$ "u section   
#agje7;a7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates    
,code4  7#c7 ,! t]m em]g5cy treatm5t    
means m$ical c>e or s]vices r5d]$ 9 a   
m$ical em]g5cy ( su* nature t a prud5t  
layp]son reasonably expects t delay 9   
seek+ imm$iate m$ical att5tion w\ld be  
haz>d\s to life or heal?4  7#d7 ,! t]m  
non-,dep>tm5t facility has ! mean+ giv5 
t t]m 9 section #agja ( title #ch1      
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4