,i  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dci  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of   
,,representatives  ,january #ae1        
#bjbe,mr4 ,la,lota introduced the       
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code1 to require the           
,department of ,veterans ,affairs to    
furnish hospital care and medical       
services outside a ,state to veterans   
with service-connected disabilities     
rated as permanent and total1 and for   
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,veterans      
,foreign ,medical ,coverage ,equality   
and ,modernization ,act of #bjbe4  #b4  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
furnishing of hospital care and medical 
services outside a ,state to veterans   
with service-connected disabilities     
rated as permanent and total  7a7 ,in   
general ,section #agbd of title #ch1    
,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7
 in subsection 7a71 by striking and 7f7 

and inserting 7f71 and 7g72 and  7#b7 by
 adding at the end the following new    
subsections3  7g7 ,the ,secretary shall 
furnish hospital care and medical       
services outside a ,state to a veteran  
with a service-connected disability     
rated as permanent and total who is     
otherwise eligible to receive hospital  
care and medical services if the        
,secretary determines that-- 7#a7 the   
hospital care or medical services       
furnished are consistent with the       
standard medical practice in the ,united
 ,states2 and  7#b7 in the case of any  
prescription medication furnished1 such 
medication is approved by the ,food and 
,drug ,administration4  7h7 ,in carrying
 out this section1 the ,secretary shall 
ensure that-- 7#a7 reimbursements made  
to veterans and medical providers can be
 made by direct deposit payments in such
 a manner as to expedite such           
reimbursements1 improve efficiency1 and 
reduce administrative costs2 and  7#b7  
the appropriate mobile applications of  

the ,department provide for-- 7,a7 the  
digital submission and real-time        
tracking of any forms and supporting    
documentation required for the receipt  
of hospital care or medical services1 or
 reimbursement for such care or         
services1 under this section2 and  7,b7 
the availability of any benefits        
authorization letter1 predetermination  
letter1 or continuity of care document  
associated with hospital care or medical
 services furnished under this section4 
4  7b7 ,effective date ,the amendments  
made by subsection 7a7 shall take effect
 on the date that is #ij days after the 
date of the enactment of this ,act and  
apply with respect to hospital care or  
medical services furnished on or after  
such date4  7c7 ,report ,not later than 
two years after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs shall submit to   
,congress a report on the amendments    
made by this ,act4 ,such report shall   
include an analysis of the              

implementation of such amendments1 any  
challenges encountered1 and the efficacy
 of the hospital care and medical       
services furnished pursuant to such     
amendments4