Emergency Treatment at Non-VA Facilities

House Veterans' Panel Approves Bill That Would Cover Emergency Treatment at Non-VA Facilities 03/21/09. The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health on Thursday by voice vote approved a bill (HR 1377) that would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide reimbursement for emergency treatment received at hospitals not affiliated with VA, CQ Today reports. The bill, sponsored by House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chair Bob Filner (D-Calif.), would cover veterans who have private health insurance coverage but still have outstanding emergency-treatment bills. The measure does not require VA to cover veterans' copayments for emergency treatment. The subcommittee also adopted by voice vote an amendment by Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) that would make the measure effective on the date of enactment and allow the VA secretary to provide reimbursements for emergency treatment provided at non-VA facilities at any time before the date of enactment. KaiserNetwork.org