To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse the cost of transportation by ambulance for highly rural veterans seeking care under the laws administered by the Secretary, regardless of whether such veteran qualifies for payments or allowances for beneficiary travel.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 12, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover ambulance transportation costs for veterans living in highly rural areas who need medical care, even if they don't otherwise qualify for the VA's standard travel assistance programs. The legislation specifically targets "highly rural veterans"—defined as those living in areas rated as remote under the Department of Agriculture's classification system—and covers both ground and air ambulance services to VA facilities or authorized non-VA providers. Currently, ambulance costs are only reimbursed for veterans who qualify for the VA's beneficiary travel program, which has income and other eligibility restrictions. This bill would eliminate those restrictions for highly rural veterans, removing a potential financial barrier to emergency medical transportation in areas where distance makes ambulances particularly expensive. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs would establish regulations to implement the reimbursement policy, though the bill does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines.
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