119-s585

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 585 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 585

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a pre-transition 
 health care registration process to facilitate enrollment in the 
 patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs by 
 members of the Armed Forces who are separating from the Armed Forces, 
 and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 February 13, 2025

 Mr. King (for himself, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Cramer, and Ms. Duckworth) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
 Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a pre-transition 
 health care registration process to facilitate enrollment in the 
 patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs by 
 members of the Armed Forces who are separating from the Armed Forces, 
 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 ``Servicemember to Veteran Health Care 
Connection Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. PRE-TRANSITION HEALTH CARE REGISTRATION OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
 FORCES TO STREAMLINE RECEIPT OF HEALTH CARE FROM 
 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Health Care Pre-Registration.--

    (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, 
 United States Code, is amended by inserting after 

section 1705A 
 the following new section:
``

Sec. 1705B. Management of health care: registration in pre-transition 
 system and facilitation of enrollment
 ``

    (a) Pre-Transition System.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days before the 
 anticipated separation from the Armed Forces of a member of the 
 Armed Forces, the Secretary shall automatically register such 
 member in the pre-transition health care registration system.
 ``

    (2) Registration.--Registration of a member of the Armed 
 Forces in the pre-transition health care registration system 
 under paragraph

    (1) shall consist of the entry of relevant 
 information of such member into such system so as to facilitate 
 and permit, at a future date, a final determination with 
 respect to the enrollment of such member in the patient 
 enrollment system if such member elects to enroll in the 
 patient enrollment system and is eligible to enroll in the 
 patient enrollment system.
 ``

    (b) Facilitation of Enrollment in Patient Enrollment System.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after separation 
 of a covered individual from the Armed Forces, or as soon as 
 feasibly possible following such separation, the Secretary 
 shall engage with such individual--
 ``
        (A) to assist and facilitate the completion of 
 the process for enrollment of such individual in the 
 patient enrollment system, to include the appropriate 
 electronic or paper forms; and
 ``
        (B) to schedule an initial primary care or other 
 health appointment for such individual under the laws 
 administered by the Secretary if the individual is 
 interested in such an appointment.
 ``

    (2) Communication efforts.--Communication to a covered 
 individual under paragraph

    (1) shall be conducted through a 
 combination of effective mechanisms to include by electronic 
 means through email and text message, paper mail, and by phone.
 ``

    (3) Covered individual defined.--In this subsection, the 
 term `covered individual' means an individual who--
 ``
        (A) is eligible for or expected to be eligible 
 for enrollment in the patient enrollment system; and
 ``
        (B) is not yet enrolled in such system.
 ``
            (c) Outreach.--
 ``

    (1) Pre-transition.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--To the greatest extent feasible, 
 the Secretary shall conduct timely outreach to members 
 of the Armed Forces registered in the pre-transition 
 health care registration system, in advance of their 
 separation from the Armed Forces, to explain--
 ``
            (i) what such registration means in 
 practical terms;
 ``
            (ii) what steps each such member will 
 need to take after separation from the Armed 
 Forces to fully enroll, if eligible, in the 
 patient enrollment system;
 ``
            (iii) health care services that may be 
 available to such member upon enrollment in 
 such system, including the general rules of 
 eligibility for such services;
 ``
            (iv) health care services that may be 
 available to such member regardless of 
 enrollment in such system, including counseling 
 for military sexual trauma and services from 
 Vet Centers (as defined in 

section 1712A of 
 this title), including the general rules of 
 eligibility for such services; and
 ``
            (v) the steps required to access services 
 described in clauses
            (iii) and
            (iv) .
 ``
        (B) Outreach efforts.--Outreach to a member of 
 the Armed Forces required under subparagraph
        (A) shall 
 be conducted through a combination of effective 
 mechanisms, including by electronic means through email 
 and text message, paper mail, and by phone.
 ``

    (2) After enrollment.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--Not less frequently than once 
 during the 180-day period following the enrollment of 
 an individual in the patient enrollment system, the 
 Secretary shall contact any such individual who has not 
 scheduled a primary care appointment or other health 
 appointment under the laws administered by the 
 Secretary and offer to schedule such appointment should 
 such individual be interested in doing so.
 ``
        (B) Conduct of outreach.--The Secretary may 
 conduct outreach under subparagraph
        (A) as part of the 
 Solid Start program under 

section 6320 of this title, 
 other existing processes of the Department, or any new 
 process as the Secretary determines appropriate.
 ``
            (d) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Patient enrollment system.--The term `patient 
 enrollment system' means the system of annual patient 
 enrollment of the Department established and operated under 
 

section 1705

    (a) of this title.
 ``

    (2) Pre-transition health care registration system.--The 
 term `pre-transition health care registration system' means an 
 information technology or other system or systems of the 
 Department in which the Department enters or stores the 
 relevant information of a transitioning member of the Armed 
 Forces so as to facilitate and permit, at a future date, a 
 final enrollment determination with respect to the enrollment 
 of such member in the patient enrollment system.''.

    (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
 beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
 item relating to 

section 1705A the following new item:

``1705B. Management of health care: registration in pre-transition 
 system and facilitation of enrollment.''.

    (3) Effective date.--This subsection and the amendments 
 made by this subsection shall take effect on the date of the 
 enactment of this Act and apply to any member of the Armed 
 Forces who is anticipated to separate from the Armed Forces on 
 and after the date that is one year after the date of the 
 enactment of this Act.

    (b) Establishment of System.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
 in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish 
 and implement an automated process to implement the pre-
 transition health care registration system required under 
 

section 1705B

    (a) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
 subsection

    (a)

    (1) .

    (2) Briefings on initial implementation.--Not later than 
 each of 180 days, one year, and two years after the date of the 
 enactment of this Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs-
 Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee established 
 under 

section 320 of title 38, United States Code, shall 
 provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on 
 the implementation of the process required under paragraph

    (1) .
            (c) Coordination With Department of Defense.--

    (1) In general.--In implementing the requirements of this 
 section and the amendments made by this section, the Secretary 
 of Veterans Affairs may integrate and coordinate such 
 implementation with the Solid Start program of the Department 
 of Veterans Affairs under 

section 6320 of title 38, United 
 States Code, other existing processes of the Department, or any 
 new process as the Secretary determines appropriate to ensure 
 collaboration and coordination with relevant programs of the 
 Department of Defense.

    (2) Inclusion in transition assistance program.--On and 
 after the date that is one year after the date of the enactment 
 of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall include an 
 explanation of the pre-transition health care registration 
 system required under 

section 1705B of title 38, United States 
 Code, as added by subsection

    (a)

    (1) , as part of the Transition 
 Assistance Program of the Department of Defense.
            (d) Requirement to Create and Maintain Simple and Streamlined 
Process for Pre-Registration and Enrollment.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
 make enrollment in the patient enrollment system, including 
 pre-transition health care registration under 

section 1705B of 
 title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection

    (a)

    (1) , a 
 simple and streamlined process for all transitioning members of 
 the Armed Forces and veterans--
        (A) to facilitate access to and utilization of 
 services from the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
 which such individuals are entitled;
        (B) to ensure such individuals have a healthy and 
 smooth transition out of the Armed Forces into civilian 
 life as veterans;
            (C) to support the mental and physical health of 
 such individuals; and
            (D) to reduce, to the greatest extent possible, 
 veteran suicide.

    (2) Improvement of process.--The Secretary shall 
 continuously monitor, improve, and modernize the process 
 described in paragraph

    (1) .

    (e) Outreach and Engagement.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall--

    (1) proactively conduct outreach to transitioning and 
 recently transitioned members of the Armed Forces to assist 
 such members in enrolling in the patient enrollment system;

    (2) proactively and regularly engage with veterans already 
 enrolled in the patient enrollment system to offer assistance 
 in accessing health care services under such system;

    (3) proactively and regularly engage with veterans who may 
 not be eligible for enrollment in the patient enrollment system 
 but may be eligible to access certain specific health services 
 of the Department;

    (4) proactively engage with veterans from traditionally 
 under-represented groups, to include women veterans, minority 
 veterans, Native American veterans, Native Hawaiian veterans, 
 Alaska Native veterans, and LGBTQIA+ veterans; and

    (5) engage with veterans who are eligible but not enrolled 
 in the patient enrollment system and offer information and 
 assistance regarding the steps to facilitate enrollment in such 
 system.

    (f) Annual Report on Pre-Transition Registration.--

Section 8111

    (f)

    (2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

    (1) by redesignating subparagraphs
        (E) and
        (F) as 
 subparagraphs
        (F) and
        (G) , respectively; and

    (2) by inserting after subparagraph
            (D) the following new 
 subparagraph
        (E) :
 ``
        (E) With respect to the registration of members of the 
 Armed Forces in the pre-transition health care registration 
 system under 

section 1705B of this title during the preceding 
 fiscal year, the following:
 ``
            (i) The number of members of the Armed Forces who 
 were registered in such system.
 ``
            (ii) The number of such members who subsequently 
 applied for enrollment in the system of annual patient 
 enrollment of the Department established and operated 
 under 

section 1705

    (a) of this title.
 ``
            (iii) The aggregated disposition of each such 
 application for enrollment, whether denied or approved, 
 and a reason for any denial, if available.
 ``
            (iv) Aggregated demographic information for 
 members of the Armed Forces described in clauses
            (i) and
            (ii) , including age, gender, ethnicity, length of 
 service, military rank, and branch of service.
 ``
            (v) Any information on health care utilization 
 rates based on registration in the pre-transition 
 health care registration system under 

section 1705B of 
 this title that the Secretary considers relevant.
 ``
            (vi) Any additional observations or information 
 the Secretary considers relevant regarding the impact 
 of pre-transition health care registration on 
 streamlining and improving the transition from the 
 Armed Forces to civilian life.''.

    (g) Reports.--

    (1) Report on feasibility and advisability of permitting 
 members of the armed forces to receive pre-separation health 
 appointment with department of veterans affairs.--
        (A) In general.--Not later than one year after the 
 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of 
 Defense, shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
 Congress a report on the feasibility and advisability 
 of permitting transitioning members of the Armed 
 Forces, including those on separation leave, while 
 still on active duty, to receive at least one no-cost 
 health care appointment at a facility of the Department 
 of Veterans Affairs--
            (i) to familiarize the member with the 
 health services of the Department prior to the 
 member leaving the Armed Forces; and
            (ii) to improve the transition process and 
 health and wellness of the member once they 
 have transitioned to civilian life.
        (B) Elements.--The report required under 
 subparagraph
        (A) shall include the following:
            (i) A description of the reasons the 
 Secretary of Veterans Affairs has determined 
 the policy described in such subparagraph is 
 feasible and advisable or not.
            (ii) An identification of changes to law 
 that would be required or recommended to make 
 such policy feasible and advisable.
            (iii) If the Secretary determines such 
 policy is feasible and advisable, a proposed 
 schedule and timeline to implement such policy 
 and an estimate of costs to implement and 
 sustain such policy.
            (iv) Such other information as the 
 Secretary considers appropriate.

    (2) Report on efforts to improve enrollment.--Not later 
 than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
 Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the 
 Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate 
 committees of Congress a report containing the following:
        (A) An assessment of the efforts of the Secretary 
 of Veterans Affairs as follows:
            (i) To develop and implement a system or 
 systems, and processes to implement such a 
 system or systems, to notify veterans who 
 receive a positive adjudication for a service-
 connected disability and are not already 
 enrolled in the patient enrollment system 
 regarding how to enroll in the patient 
 enrollment system, should they be inclined to 
 enroll.
            (ii) To pre-populate information in the 
 pre-transition health care registration system 
 required under 

section 1705B of title 38, 
 United States Code, as added by subsection

    (a)

    (1) , using data available within the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs, other Federal 
 agencies, or State agencies or other 
 appropriate commercial or publicly available 
 information so as to assist transitioning 
 members of the Armed Forces with completing the 
 process of enrollment in the patient enrollment 
 system, and to simplify and streamline 
 enrollment in such system, including--
            (I) a description of any roadblocks 
 to pre-populating such information;
            (II) a description of any 
 challenges in receiving relevant 
 information from any Federal agency or 
 State agency; and
            (III) an identification of any 
 legislative action that may be required 
 to improve the collection of data 
 necessary to carry out this clause.
        (B) An assessment of any challenges experienced by 
 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in receiving timely 
 and reliable electronic information, data feeds, and 
 notifications from the Department of Defense, other 
 Federal agencies, or non-Federal entities regarding the 
 separation from the Armed Forces of members of the 
 Armed Forces, including--
            (i) specific requests for legislative 
 action to improve data transmission from the 
 Department of Defense or other Federal agencies 
 to the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
            (ii) a description of policy reforms to 
 require the military departments to report to 
 the Secretary of Defense known or anticipated 
 separations in a more timely manner.
            (C) The identification of an individual in a Senior 
 Executive Service position (as defined in 

section 3132

    (a) of title 5, United States Code), or equivalent, 
 and office within the Department of Veterans Affairs 
 that is coordinating or will coordinate all programs of 
 the Department relating to improving the registration 
 and enrollment of transitioning or transitioned members 
 of the Armed Forces in health care services of the 
 Department (including pursuant to this section and the 
 amendments made by this section) and the usage by such 
 members of those services, to include the following 
 programs and offices:
            (i) The Solid Start program of the 
 Department under 

section 6320 of title 38, 
 United States Code.
            (ii) The Federal Recovery Consultant Office 
 of the Department.
            (iii) The Post-9/11 Military2VA Case 
 Management Program of the Department.
            (iv) The Liaison Program of the Department.
            (v) The Concierge for Care Program of the 
 Department.
            (vi) The office of the Department 
 responsible for carrying out the pre-transition 
 health care registration system under 

section 1705B of title 38, United States Code, as added 
 by subsection

    (a)

    (1) .
            (vii) Other similar or successor programs 
 or offices of the Department.
            (D) A description of how the individual and office 
 identified under subparagraph
            (C) manages or will 
 manage various programs across the Department, to 
 include--
            (i) programs under the Veterans Health 
 Administration, Veterans Benefits 
 Administration, and other entities of the 
 Department that have different reporting 
 chains;
            (ii) an identification of metrics that are 
 used or will be used to monitor program goals;
            (iii) an identification of steps that can 
 be taken to improve management and outcomes of 
 such programs, to include collaboration and 
 coordination with relevant programs of the 
 Department of Defense; and
            (iv) an organizational chart to show how 
 efforts described under this subparagraph are 
 managed across the Department of Veterans 
 Affairs.

    (h) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section or the 
amendments made by this section shall be construed to require any 
member of the Armed Forces, former member of the Armed Forces, or 
veteran to use any service of the Department of Veterans Affairs or to 
enroll in the patient enrollment system.
            (i) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
 ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
 Committee on Veterans Affairs' of the Senate; and
        (B) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
 Committee on Veterans Affairs' of the House of 
 Representatives.

    (2) Patient enrollment system.--The term ``patient 
 enrollment system'' means the system of annual patient 
 enrollment of the Department established and operated under 
 

section 1705

    (a) of title 38, United States Code.
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