H.R. 9316: Travel Assistance for Veterans in Medical Deserts Act

This bill would expand travel reimbursement and travel allowances for some veterans with service-connected disabilities who live in U.S. territories or in the Freely Associated States.

What the bill changes

Under current law, some veterans can receive payments to help cover travel costs when they need to go to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility for medical care. This bill would change the rules so that:

• Veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more would continue to qualify.
• Veterans living in a covered jurisdiction—meaning a U.S. territory or the Freely Associated States—could qualify regardless of disability rating if there is no VA medical facility located in that jurisdiction.

Who could be affected

The bill is aimed at veterans who live in places where access to VA medical facilities may be limited or unavailable. It would apply to veterans in:

• U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, as defined in the bill by reference to existing law
• The Freely Associated States, as that term is already defined in federal law

Practical effect

If enacted, the bill would likely make it easier for some veterans in these locations to get help with the cost of traveling for VA medical care. In particular, veterans who do not meet the usual disability-rating threshold could still receive travel assistance if they live in an area without a VA medical facility.

What it does not do

The bill does not create a new VA health program or change eligibility for medical treatment itself. It only changes who can receive payments or allowances to cover travel related to beneficiary medical care.

Relevant Companies

None found