Bill Details
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This bill would change how long a Veterans Affairs referral stays valid when a veteran is sent to a non-VA doctor or clinic through the Community Care Program. Right now, the timing rules can be unclear. The bill says the referral’s valid period would begin on the day the veteran has the first appointment with that outside provider, instead of starting earlier. The goal is to make the process more predictable and help veterans avoid losing coverage for care because of delays in getting an appointment.
- It applies to referrals made by a VA health care provider for care or services from a non-VA provider under the Community Care Program.
- The referral validity period would start on the date of the veteran’s first appointment with the outside provider.
- The bill is meant to standardize referral timing and reduce confusion for veterans and providers.
Official Summaries
Standardizing Treatment and Referral Times Act of 2025 or the START Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that the period for a veteran’s referral for non-VA care under the Veterans Community Care Program begins on the day that the veteran has the first appointment with the non-VA provider.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1972 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1972
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the period during
which the referral of a veteran, made by a health care provider of the
Department of Veterans Affairs, to a non-Department provider, for care
or services under the Community Care Program of such Department,
remains valid.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 10, 2025
Mrs. Miller-Meeks introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the period during
which the referral of a veteran, made by a health care provider of the
Department of Veterans Affairs, to a non-Department provider, for care
or services under the Community Care Program of such Department,
remains valid.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Standardizing Treatment and Referral
Times Act of 2025'' or the ``START Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PERIOD DURING WHICH A REFERRAL UNDER THE
COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS REMAINS VALID.
Section 1703(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(E) Ensuring that the period during which the referral of
a covered veteran, made by a health care provider of the
Department of Veterans Affairs, to a non-Department provider,
for care or services under this section, is valid, begins on
the day that the covered veteran has the first appointment with
such non-Department provider.''.
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