HR 8043
Vets CLEAR Act
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Bill overview
The Vets CLEAR Act aims to improve how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) collects unpaid medical bills. It allows the VA to recover funds from a broader range of sources, including those related to specific healthcare programs and legal/administrative collections. The bill also requires the VA to track and report on how these recovered funds are spent, enhancing transparency and accountability. It provides the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with more flexibility in managing the Medical Care Collections Fund.
Key provisions
- Expands the sources from which the VA can recover unpaid medical bills.
- Allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to deposit funds into the Medical Care Collections Fund from certain healthcare programs.
- Requires the VA to track and report on the recovery and expenditure of funds collected.
- Mandates a report from the Comptroller General on fund deposits and spending.
- Redesignates and modifies existing sections of Title 38, United States Code.
Who is affected
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Veterans
- Healthcare Providers
- Taxpayers
Notable changes
- Broadens the scope of debt collection by the VA.
- Creates a reporting requirement for the VA regarding fund recovery and expenditure.
- Establishes a sunset provision for the Secretary’s deposit authority (September 30, 2028).
Fiscal impact
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Primary sponsor
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 8043
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the efficiency of the recovery and collection of revenue for the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Care Collections Fund, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Vets Collections, Liquidity, and Efficiency Accountability for Reinvestment Act Vets CLEAR Act
or the
.
Section 1729A of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
Sections 3711 and 3729 through 3733 of title 31, to the extent that such recovery or collection is based on medical care, services, or medication provided or paid for under this chapter.
Amounts recovered or collected through administrative, legal, or judicial processes, including investigations and audits, to the extent that such recovery or collection is based on medical care, services, or medication provided or paid for under this chapter.
by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (d), (e), and (f), respectively; and
by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds directed to the Medical Services
account to reimburse such account for the costs of care provided under the following authorities may, at the discretion of the Secretary, be deposited in the Medical Care Collections Fund:
Section 1781 of this title.
Section 8111 of this title.
Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, and not less frequently than once every 180 days thereafter during period the authority under subsection (c) is effective, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on amounts deposited into the Medical Care Collections Fund under this section.
Each report required under paragraph (1) shall include—
the total amount of funds recovered or collected during the period covered by the report, disaggregated by source of recovery or collection; and
a description of how such funds were expended by the Department, including the categories of medical care, services, staffing, or other purposes for which the funds were used.