Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act of 2024”.
Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act of 2024
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize pre-enrollment of certain combat service members of the Armed Forces in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 2 Pre-enrollment of certain combat service members of the Armed Forces in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs
In general— Section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(e)
“(1) The Secretary may pre-enroll in the system of annual patient enrollment established and operated under subsection (a) a member of the Armed Forces during the 180-day period before the separation of such member from service in the Armed Forces if the Secretary determines such member would be eligible for enrollment under such subsection and would be described in section 1710(e)(1)(D) of this title upon separating from such service.
“(2) In this subsection, the term pre-enroll means, with respect to a member of the Armed Forces, all activities necessary to permit a final enrollment determination with respect to the enrollment of such member in the system of annual patient enrollment established and operated under subsection (a) immediately upon the separation of such member from the Armed Forces.”
Establishment of pre-Enrollment mechanism—
In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall establish a mechanism to permit pre-enrollment of members of the Armed Forces in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to section 1705(e) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
Briefings on initial implementation—
In general— Not later than each of 180 days, one year, and two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee established under section 320 of title 38, United States Code, shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the implementation of the mechanism required under paragraph (1).
Appropriate committees of Congress defined— In this paragraph, the term appropriate committees of Congress means—
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
Annual report— Section 8111(f)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; and
by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph (E):
“(E) With respect to the pre-enrollment of members of the Armed Forces in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department under section 1705(e) of this title during the preceding fiscal year, the following:
“(i) The number of such members who pre-enrolled in such system.
“(ii) The number of such members who applied for pre-enrollment but were denied final enrollment in such system.
“(iii) Aggregated demographic information for such members, including age, ethnicity, length of service, military rank, and branch of service.”