Rounds’ Bill Protecting Veterans Unanimously Passes Senate

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds’ (R-S.D.) legislation to reduce the cost burden faced by veterans for emergency care received outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs has unanimously passed the Senate.

The Veterans’ Emergency Care Claims Parity Act would prevent veterans from being held liable for payment of medical bills due to errors by the VA or by non-VA health care providers in submitting emergency care claims. The measure would also legislate a 180-day deadline from the date of treatment for non-VA health care providers to submit emergency care claims for care given to eligible veterans. Under current regulation, the VA has a 90-day deadline for these claims.

“Our veterans risked their lives to protect our country and have earned the best care possible,” said Rounds. “Right now, veterans are facing expensive emergency care bills either because their provider failed to submit a claim on time under the VA’s current regulation or because the claim was mishandled by the VA. This legislation would give providers more time to submit veterans’ claims and would protect our veterans from having to pick up the tab for thousands of dollars in emergency care bills through no fault of their own.”

Click HERE for full bill text.

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