Senator Bill Cassidy (LA), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced S. 1261, the Veterans Emergency Room Relief Act of 2017. This bill would require VA to contract with community urgent care providers and pay reasonable costs for such care provided to veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have received care in the system within the preceding two years.
It would also establish cost-sharing amounts for certain veterans receiving care at a VA emergency room. However, veterans who are hospitalized as a result of their urgent care visit and veterans seeking care for a service-connected condition in addition to veterans meeting criteria for hardship exceptions would be exempt from copayments.
DAV Resolution 242 calls upon Congress to authorize urgent care as part of VA’s basic health benefits package. Please write your Senators and urge their co-sponsorship and support for passage of S. 1261.
