H.R. 4527: Health Records Enhancement Act

This bill, titled the Health Records Enhancement Act, seeks to modify how health records for deceased veterans are managed within the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Here’s a breakdown of its key components:

Supplementing Health Records

The primary objective of the bill is to allow updates to the health records of deceased veterans. This would enable the inclusion of observed health conditions and other relevant information after a veteran's death.

• The updates could be made by an individual designated by the deceased veteran.
• If no individual is designated, an immediate family member of the deceased veteran may provide the information.

Process for Designation

To facilitate this, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs are required to create a process for individuals to formally designate who can update the health records. This means veterans can choose someone they trust to have this responsibility.

Nature of Updates

It is important to note that any updates made to a deceased veteran’s health records will only supplement the existing information. The bill explicitly states that no existing health information will be modified or deleted due to these updates.

Definitions

The bill also provides clear definitions for terms used within the context of the legislation:

• Immediate family member: This includes the spouse, parent, brother, sister, or adult child of the deceased veteran, as well as any adult person standing in loco parentis to the veteran.
• Deceased enrollee: Refers to any individual who was enrolled in VA's patient enrollment system or was entitled to care under the TRICARE program at the time of death.

The bill aims to enhance the accuracy and completeness of health records for veterans who have passed away, ensuring that relevant health information continues to be part of their medical history, even after their death.

Relevant Companies

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