,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #ahfh  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,may #bb1 #bjbe ,mr4   
,cram] 7= himself & ,mr4 ,%eehy7        
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to exp& 
access by vet]ans to critical access    
hospitals & affiliat$ cl9ics "u !       
,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program1 & =  
o!r purposes4  #a4  ,%ort title  ,?is   
,act may be cit$ z ! ,critical ,access =
 ,vet]ans ,c>e ,act4  #b4  ,expansion ( 
access by vet]ans to critical access    
hospitals & affiliat$ cl9ics "u ,vet]ans
 ,community ,c>e ,program  7a7  ,9 g5]al
  ,subsection 7d77#a7 ( section #agjc ( 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is      
am5d$--  7#a7 9 subp>agraph 7,d71 by    
/rik+ 2 or & ins]t+ a semicolon2  7#b7 9
 subp>agraph 7,e71 by /rik+ ! p]iod at !
 end & ins]t+ 2 or2 &  7#c7 by add+ at !
 end ! foll[+ new subp>agraph3  7,f7 )  
respect to c>e or s]vices s\ght by a    

cov]$ vet]an at a critical access       
hospital or provid]-bas$ rural heal?    
cl9ic affiliat$ ) su* hospital 7includ+ 
any c>e or s]vices s\ght f a heal? c>e  
provid] specifi$ 9 subsection 7c7 locat$
 9 ! surr\nd+ community ( su* hospital  
or cl9ic due to a ref]ral f su* hospital
 or cl9ic71 ! vet]an resides )9 #ce     
miles ( su* hospital or cl9ic4  4  7b7  
,prior au?orization & ref]ral  ,su*     
section is fur!r am5d$-- 7#a7 9         
subsection 7a77#c71 by /rik+ ,a cov]$   
vet]an & ins]t+ ,except z provid$ 9     
subsection 7d77#e71 a cov]$ vet]an2 &   
7#b7 9 subsection 7d71 by add+ at ! end 
! foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#e7 ,!         
,secret>y may n require a cov]$ vet]an  
to receive au?orization or a ref]ral    
prior to ! receipt ( c>e or s]vices "u  
p>agraph 7#a77;,f74  4  7c7  ,paym5t    
rate & claims = c>e & s]vices           
,subsection 7i7 ( su* section is am5d$  
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraph3 
7#g7  7,a7 ,) respect to c>e or s]vices 
furni%$ "u ?is section--  7i7 at a      

critical access hospital1 includ+       
pursuant to subsection 7d77#a77;,f71 !  
critical access hospital rate e/abli%$  
"u ! ,m$ic>e program "u title ,,xviii ( 
! ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 
#acie et seq47 %all apply in/ead ( !    
s]vice-bas$ rate2 &  7ii7 at a          
provid]-bas$ rural heal? cl9ic affiliat$
 ) su* hospital1 includ+ pursuant to    
subsection 7d77#a77;,f71 ! rate specifi$
 "u section #ahcc ( ! ,social ,security 
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciel7 %all apply4 
7,b7 ,claims = cov]$ vet]ans receiv+ c>e
 "u subsection 7d77#a77;,f7 %all include
 an id5tifi] d5ot+ ! c>e or s]vices     
provid$ "u su* subsection & %all be     
reimburs$ at ! co/-bas$ level "u !      
,m$ic>e program4  7,c7 ,! ,secret>y1 9  
consultation ) ! ,adm9i/rator ( ! ,c5t]s
 = ,m$ic>e  ,m$icaid ,s]vices1 may      
furni% additional guidance reg>d+ !     
claims process "u ?is p>agraph 9        
accordance ) ! be/ practices ( m$ic>e   
adm9i/rative contractors 7z def9$ 9     
section #ahgd;,a7a77#c7 ( ! ,social     

,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciekk-#a7;a77#c777 9 process+ co/-bas$
 reimbursem5t = s]vices furni%$ at      
critical access hospitals or            
provid]-bas$ rural heal? cl9ics         
affiliat$ ) su* hospitals4  7,d7 ,claims
 = cov]$ vet]ans receiv+ c>e "u         
subsection 7d77#a77;,f7 %all be review$ 
& paym5t %all be issu$ 9 accordance ) ! 
f9d+s ( su* review n lat] ?an #fj days  
aft] ! submission ( ! claim4  4  7d7    
,def9itions  ,subsection 7o7 ( su*      
section is am5d$-- 7#a7 by r$esignat+   
p>agraph 7#b7 z p>agraph 7#c72 &  7#b7  
by ins]t+ aft] p>agraph 7#a7 ! foll[+   
new p>agraph 7#b73  7#b7 ,! t]m critical
 access hospital has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 
9 section #ahfa7mm7 ( ! ,social         
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciex7mm774  4  7e7  ,report  7#a7  ,9 
g5]al  ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( 
! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (    
,vet]ans ,affairs %all submit to        
,congress a report on ?ird p>ty         
adm9i/rators & community c>e provid]s   

conc]n+ ! implem5tation ( ! am5dm5ts    
made by ?is section1 includ+ timely     
approval & paym5t ( claims "u section   
#agjc7;d77#a77;,f71 z add$ by subsection
 7a71 & ov]all us] exp]i5ce associat$ ) 
c>e or s]vices provid$ pursuant to su*  
am5dm5ts4  7#b7  ,def9itions  ,9 ?is    
subsection3 7,a7 ,community c>e provid] 
,! t]m community c>e provid] means a    
heal? c>e provid] specifi$ 9 p>agraph   
7#a7 or 7#e7 ( section #agjc7;c7 ( title
 #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7,b7  ,?ird 
p>ty adm9i/rator  ,! t]m ?ird p>ty      
adm9i/rator means an entity t manages a 
provid] network & p]=ms adm9i/rative    
s]vices relat$ to su* network )9 !      
,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program "u    
section #agjc ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates
 ,code4