119-hr4886

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4886 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4886

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for consideration of 
 certain factors under the Veterans Community Care Program, to provide 
 for expedited approval of certain requests for Veterans Care 
 Agreements, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 August 5, 2025

 Mrs. Houchin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for consideration of 
 certain factors under the Veterans Community Care Program, to provide 
 for expedited approval of certain requests for Veterans Care 
 Agreements, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Larry Barrett Veterans' Memory Care 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. CONSIDERATION UNDER VETERANS COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM OF VETERAN 
 PREFERENCE FOR CARE, CONTINUITY OF CARE, AND NEED FOR 
 CAREGIVER OR ATTENDANT.

    (a) In General.--

Section 1703
            (d) (2) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
 ``
        (F) During the three-year period beginning on the date of 
 the enactment of the Dignity in Veterans Aging Act of 2025--
 ``
            (i) in the case of a covered veteran seeking 
 extended care services--
 ``
            (I) the preference of the covered veteran 
 for where, when, and how to seek such services; 
 and
 ``
            (II) whether the covered veteran requests 
 or requires the assistance of a caregiver or 
 attendant when seeking such services; and
 ``
            (ii) continuity of care.''.

    (b) Treatment of Sunset.--In the case of a veteran who is a covered 
veteran under 

section 1703 of title 38, United States Code, and who is 
receiving extended care services pursuant to subparagraph
        (F) of 
subsection
            (d) (2) of such section, the veteran may continue to receive 
such care or services until the end of the episode of care 
notwithstanding the termination date specified in such subparagraph.

SEC. 3. EXPEDITED APPROVAL PROCESS FOR CERTAIN REQUESTS FOR VETERANS 
 CARE AGREEMENTS.

 

Section 1703A of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

    (1) by redesignating subsections

    (k) and
            (l) as subsections
            (l) and
            (m) , respectively;

    (2) by inserting after subsection

    (j) the following new 
 subsection

    (k) :
 ``

    (k) Expedited Approval Process.--

    (1) In the case of a request 
made by a covered individual described in paragraph

    (2) for a Veterans 
Care Agreement with an eligible entity or provider, the Secretary 
shall--
 ``
        (A) approve the request under this section, including the 
 certification under subsection
            (c) regardless of whether the 
 eligible entity or provider meets the criteria under such 
 subsection or the requirements under subsection

    (e) , by not 
 later than 30 days after the date on which the request is made; 
 and
 ``
        (B) during the period beginning on the date of the 
 request and ending on the date of the approval of the request, 
 provide in-home care services for the covered veteran under 
 

section 1720L of this title.
 ``

    (2) A covered individual described in this subsection is a 
covered individual who--
 ``
        (A) has expressed to the Secretary a preference to 
 receive an extended care service required by the individual 
 from an eligible entity or provider that--
 ``
            (i) is not party to a Veterans Care Agreement 
 under this section; and
 ``
            (ii) is not a health care provider specified in 
 

section 1703
            (c) of this title; and
 ``
        (B) resides in a location that requires traveling for 
 longer than an hour to reach the location of any health care 
 provider specified in 

section 1703
            (c) of this title who is 
 qualified to furnish the extended care service required by the 
 individual.''; and

    (3) in subsection

    (e)

    (1) , by striking ``subsection

    (k) '' 
 and inserting ``subsection
            (l) ''.
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