United States Code

38 U.S.C. § 1705

Management of health care: patient enrollment system

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Bills that would change it 19

  • HR 4114 EVEST Act Amends · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 5539 POW Priority Care Act of 2025 Amends 1705(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 244 Veterans’ True Choice Act of 2025 Amends · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 7975 Reserve Component Healthcare Access and Expansion Act Amends 1705(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • S 3560 Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act of 2024 Amends · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 6360 POW Priority Care Act of 2023 Amends 1705(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 5416 EVEST Act Amends · introduced · 118th Congress
  • S 1952 Reserve Component Healthcare Access and Expansion Act Amends 1705(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • S 1644 Veterans’ True Choice Act of 2023 Amends · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 214 Veterans’ True Choice Act of 2023 Amends · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 4673 EVEST Act Amends · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 5947 POW Priority Care Act of 2021 Amends 1705(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 364 Veterans’ True Choice Act of 2021 Amends · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 5525 PAVE Act of 2019 Amends 1705(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 5024 To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health care coverage provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs during the transitio... Amends 1705(c) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 3527 POW Priority Care Act of 2019 Amends 1705(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 5097 PAVE Act of 2018 Amends 1705(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • HR 4727 Improving Access to VA Care Act Amends · introduced · 115th Congress
  • HR 449 Health Care for America's Heroes Act Amends · introduced · 111th Congress

The law today

From the official United States Code, current through Public Law 119-121.

(a) In managing the provision of hospital care and medical services under section 1710(a) of this title, the Secretary, in accordance with regulations the Secretary shall prescribe, shall establish and operate a system of annual patient enrollment. The Secretary shall manage the enrollment of veterans in accordance with the following priorities, in the order listed: (1) Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 50 percent or greater and veterans who were awarded the medal of honor under section 7271, 8291, or 9271 of title 10 or section 491 1 of title 14. (2) Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 30 percent or 40 percent. (3) Veterans who are former prisoners of war or who were awarded the Purple Heart, veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 10 percent or 20 percent, and veterans described in subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 1710(a)(2) of this title. (4) Veterans who are in receipt of increased pension based on a need of regular aid and attendance or by reason of being permanently housebound and other veterans who are catastrophically disabled. (5) Veterans not covered by paragraphs (1) through (4) who are unable to defray the expenses of necessary care as determined under section 1722(a) of this title. (6) All other veterans eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care under section 1710(a)(2) of this title. (7) Veterans described in section 1710(a)(3) of this title who are eligible for treatment as a low-income family under section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)) for the area in which such veterans reside, regardless of whether such veterans are treated as single person families under paragraph (3)(A) of such section 3(b) or as families under paragraph (3)(B) of such section 3(b). (8) Veterans described in section 1710(a)(3) of this title who are not covered by paragraph (7). (b) In the design of an enrollment system under subsection (a), the Secretary— (1) shall ensure that the system will be managed in a manner to ensure that the provision of care to enrollees is timely and acceptable in quality; (2) may establish additional priorities within each priority group specified in subsection (a), as the Secretary determines necessary; and (3) may provide for exceptions to the specified priorities where dictated by compelling medical reasons. (c) (1) The Secretary may not provide hospital care or medical services to a veteran under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 1710(a) of this title unless the veteran enrolls in the system of patient enrollment established by the Secretary under subsection (a). (2) The Secretary shall provide hospital care and medical services under section 1710(a)(1) of this title, and under subparagraph (B) of section 1710(a)(2) of this title, for the 12-month period following such veteran’s discharge or release from service, to any veteran referred to in such sections for a disability specified in the applicable subparagraph of such section, notwithstanding the failure of the veteran to enroll in the system of patient enrollment referred to in subsection (a) of this section.
Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗