H.R. 9666: Advanced Imaging for Respiratory Care, Assessment, and Research Excellence for Veterans Act of 2026

This bill would create a pilot program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use a specific kind of FDA-approved lung imaging software to help identify respiratory disorders and lung disease in veterans who receive care at VA facilities.

What the VA would be required to do

• Set up a pilot program using an eligible software product, defined as a four-dimensional functional lung imaging software product that the FDA has approved to evaluate lung function.
• Try to enter into an agreement with a developer of that software to lease the product rather than buy it outright.
• Use the software at VA medical facilities to help identify lung and respiratory conditions in veterans.

How long the program could run

• The VA’s authority to make these leasing agreements would end five years after the bill becomes law.
• After that authority expires, the VA would have two more years to send Congress a report evaluating how effective the pilot program was.

Funding

• The bill authorizes up to $5 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out the program.

Practical effect

In plain terms, the bill would let the VA test whether a specialized imaging software tool can improve how veterans’ lung problems are detected and assessed. It does not require the VA to permanently adopt the software system; instead, it creates a time-limited test program and requires a later review of the results.

Relevant Companies

• None found