This bill expands Veterans Affairs health care benefits to family members and others who lived at or worked at military locations where veterans developed presumed service-connected illnesses, such as contaminated bases. Eligible individuals include family members, workers, and those exposed in utero who can demonstrate exposure to the same toxic conditions that qualify veterans for presumed benefits. The VA would provide hospital care and medical services for covered illnesses at these locations, though benefits are limited to appropriated funds and cannot cover conditions from other causes. Before the VA pays, individuals must exhaust all other available claims and remedies, including private insurance coverage. The bill requires the VA to report annually through 2029 on how many people received care, what conditions were treated, and how many applications were denied or are pending, giving Congress ongoing visibility into the program's scope and costs.
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