Veterans Access to Direct Primary Care Act | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 961Fraud offenses and financial crimesVeterans' medical care

Veterans Access to Direct Primary Care Act

INTRO FEB 4· LAST ACTION MAR 6

READING

4MIN

COSPONSORS

READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL

NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST

Introduced only

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 / 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

This bill matters because it offers a significant shift in how some veterans could access their primary healthcare. Currently, many veterans rely solely on the VA for their medical needs. If this bill becomes law, it would introduce an alternative, allowing eligible veterans to use VA-funded accounts to access private direct primary care services. This could potentially reduce wait times and increase choices for veterans, especially those in areas with limited VA access or those who prefer the direct care model.

However, it also means the VA would be funding care outside its own system, which could spark debate about the best use of VA resources and whether it might fragment a veteran's overall care. If it doesn't become law, the current system of primary care provision for veterans, predominantly within VA facilities or through existing community care programs, would continue unchanged.

KEY PROVISIONS

4AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Establishes a five-year pilot program for Veteran Health Savings Accounts (VHSAs) to allow veterans to pay for direct primary care services from non-VA providers.

This offers a new option for veterans to receive primary care outside the traditional VA system, potentially expanding access and choice.

PROVISION 02

Veterans participating in the pilot cannot receive primary care from the VA for services covered by the direct primary care arrangement during their participation.

This clarifies that participation in the program means temporarily opting out of certain VA primary care services, ensuring there isn't double coverage for the same care.

PROVISION 03

The VA Secretary will determine the annual amount deposited into each VHSA, in consultation with an actuarial service, and ensure annual payments.

This ensures that the accounts are adequately funded based on professional financial analysis and that veterans receive consistent support.

PROVISION 04

The VA must create a system to prevent fraud related to payments from these health savings accounts.

This is crucial for protecting taxpayer funds and ensuring the program operates with integrity.

SPONSORSHIP

1 + 3

COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%

DEM 0 REP 3 IND 0

ACTION TIMELINE

3 EVENTS

MAR 6

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

COMMITTEE

FEB 4

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 4

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

HOUSE · INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 961

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedFeb 4, 2025

Last actionMar 6, 2025

READER REACTIONS

OVERALL SENTIMENT

No reactions yet. Be the first to weigh in.

Discussion

Loading comments...

Call my reps

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 4, 2025

House BillHR 961Fraud offenses and financial crimesVeterans' medical care

Veterans Access to Direct Primary Care Act

INTRODUCED FEB 4, 2025· LAST ACTION MAR 6, 2025

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

4 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Establishes a five-year pilot program for Veteran Health Savings Accounts (VHSAs) to allow veterans to pay for direct primary care services from non-VA providers.

This offers a new option for veterans to receive primary care outside the traditional VA system, potentially expanding access and choice.

med

Veterans participating in the pilot cannot receive primary care from the VA for services covered by the direct primary care arrangement during their participation.

This clarifies that participation in the program means temporarily opting out of certain VA primary care services, ensuring there isn't double coverage for the same care.

high

The VA Secretary will determine the annual amount deposited into each VHSA, in consultation with an actuarial service, and ensure annual payments.

This ensures that the accounts are adequately funded based on professional financial analysis and that veterans receive consistent support.

med

The VA must create a system to prevent fraud related to payments from these health savings accounts.

This is crucial for protecting taxpayer funds and ensuring the program operates with integrity.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

One year after the date of enactment of this Act

Pilot program begins

Five years after the date of enactment of this Act

Termination of authority to deposit funds in veteran health savings accounts

For each calendar quarter during the two-year period beginning on the date of enactment

Submission of quarterly implementation reports

Not later than one year after the final implementation report is submitted, and annually thereafter

Submission of annual reports on pilot program results

FUNDING & AUTHORIZATIONS

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

AMOUNT	PROGRAM	TYPE	YEARS
Determined annually by VA, from existing funds for the Veterans Health Administration	Veteran Health Savings Accounts Pilot Program	discretionary	5 years

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Pilot Program: A trial or experimental program carried out over a limited time and with a specific scope to test its effectiveness before potentially implementing it more broadly.
Direct Primary Care Service Arrangement: An agreement where a patient pays a fixed, regular fee directly to a doctor or clinic for a defined set of primary medical services, rather than using insurance for each visit.
Veteran Health Savings Account (VHSA): A special account established by the VA for eligible veterans to use for purchasing direct primary care services from private providers and related medical costs.
Non-Department Health Care Provider: A doctor, clinic, or other medical professional or facility that is not part of the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system.
Actuarial Service: Professional services that use statistics and probability to assess risks, particularly in insurance, finance, and healthcare, often to determine appropriate funding levels.

ACTION TIMELINE

3 EVENTS

MAR 6, 25

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

COMMITTEE

FEB 4, 25

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 4, 25

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

INTROREFERRAL

READER REACTIONS

0 COMMENTS

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

What do you think?

0 votes

Discussion

Loading comments...

MORE INFORMATION

Committee Referrals

Veterans' Affairs CommitteeReferred

Feb 4, 2025

house

Search

Veterans Access to Direct Primary Care Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

SPONSORSHIP

ACTION TIMELINE

BILL INFO

READER REACTIONS

Discussion

Veterans Access to Direct Primary Care Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

DEADLINES & DATES

FUNDING & AUTHORIZATIONS

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

SPONSORS

READER REACTIONS

What do you think?

Discussion

MORE INFORMATION

Committee Referrals