Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Local Care for Veterans Act”.
Local Care for Veterans Act
A BILL
To amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to expand the Veterans Choice Program to veterans who would otherwise receive medical care from a deficient medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 2 Provision of care under Veterans Choice Program for veterans residing near deficient medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs
Section 101(b)(2) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended—
in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking “or”;
in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(E) notwithstanding paragraph (1)(A), resides not more than 50 miles from the medical facility of the Department, including a community-based outpatient clinic, that is closest to the residence of the veteran if—
“(i) the Secretary has identified such medical facility—
“(I) in a prospectus level lease request, regardless of the date of such request, as being deficient with respect to providing certain treatment or services; or
“(II) as needing expansion; and
“(ii) the Secretary determines that such a deficiency has not been resolved or such an expansion has not occurred, including pursuant to leases entered into under an Act authorizing major medical facility leases.”