HR 5611
Mental Health Care Provider Retention Act of 2025
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Bill overview
This bill aims to ensure that veterans transitioning from Department of Defense mental health care to the Department of Veterans Affairs can continue receiving treatment from their existing mental health provider. It allows veterans to choose to maintain continuity of care with their DoD provider, prioritizes their access to services, and establishes a process for reimbursement and record sharing. The bill focuses specifically on facilitating a smooth transition for individuals receiving mental health services from the Department of Defense.
Key provisions
- Allows veterans to continue treatment with their existing DoD mental health care provider during a transition to VA care.
- Guarantees the same priority as active-duty military personnel at the VA facility.
- Requires the VA to reimburse the DoD for services provided under this continuity of care.
- Provides options for care if the DoD provider departs or the veteran relocates.
- Mandates the sharing of medical records between DoD and VA providers.
Who is affected
- Veterans
- Department of Defense mental health care providers
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Individuals with mental health conditions
Notable changes
- Establishes a specific mechanism for continuity of care between DoD and VA mental health services.
- Addresses reimbursement for services provided by DoD providers to transitioning veterans.
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 5611
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To authorize an individual who is transitioning from receiving treatment furnished by the Secretary of Defense to treatment furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to continue receiving treatment from such individual’s mental health care provider of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Mental Health Care Provider Retention Act of 2025
.
During the transition from receiving treatment furnished by the Secretary of Defense to treatment furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, a covered individual may elect to continue receiving treatment from such individual’s mental health care provider of the Department of Defense.
A covered individual shall receive the same level of priority as members of the Armed Forces at the military medical treatment facility at which the covered individual has elected to continue treatment.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall reimburse the Secretary of Defense for services rendered pursuant to subsection (a), if such services would have otherwise been furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
In the event that the mental health care provider described under subsection (a) departs the military medical treatment facility at which the covered individual is receiving treatment, such individual may elect to obtain the services of—
a different mental health care provider at the same military medical treatment facility; or
a mental health care provider of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In the event that the covered individual relocates and is unable to reasonably receive care at the military medical treatment facility at which such individual has elected to continue treatment under subsection (a), such individual shall transition to receiving treatment from a mental health care provider of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that any mental health care provider of the Department of Defense that furnishes care or services under this section to a covered individual submits to the Department of Veterans Affairs a copy of any medical record related to the care or services provided to such individual by such mental health care provider for inclusion in the electronic medical record of such individual maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs upon such individual’s transition to receiving treatment from a mental health care provider of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In this section, the term covered individual means an individual who has been diagnosed with a mental health condition and—
is enrolling in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs, established by section 1705 of title 38, United States Code; or
has enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs and is still in transition from receiving treatment furnished by the Secretary of Defense, as determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.