House Approves Three Bills to Improve Veterans' Programs

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives approved one bill on Tuesday, and two additional bills Wednesday which would improve benefits and services for veterans and their families. The bills now await action by the U.S. Senate.

On Tuesday evening, members voted 398-0 to pass H.R. 2192, as amended, to create an ombudsman office within the Veterans’ Health Administration. The purpose of the office is to provide patient advocacy and serve as a central source of information for veterans. The office would also track patient complaints and issues throughout the VA health care system.

Wednesday, members voted 429-0 to pass H.R. 5892, as amended, the Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008. The bill is intended modernize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits claims processing system, to help ensure the accurate and timely delivery of compensation to veterans and their families. It includes provisions from H.R. 3047, the Veterans Claims Processing Innovation Act of 2007.  This provision would compel better utilization of information technology, establish a quality and training assessment program for the certification of VA claims processors, and allow a veteran’s dependent to continue pursuit of a pending disability benefits claim in instances where the veteran dies before the claim is adjudicated.

The substitute claimant would receive any accrued benefits due to the veteran in claims that were granted.  This will allow a deceased veteran’s survivor to continue a pending claim to acquire accrued benefits, previously the practice was to terminate the claim and require the survivor to start over from square one.”

The House also passed on Wednesday, by a vote of 421-0, H.R. 6445, as amended, the Veterans Health Care Policy Enhancement Act of 2008. The bill would exempt veterans, who have non-service connected catastrophic injuries, from co-payment requirements for treatment at VA facilities. It would also require the VA to implement a comprehensive policy on the management of pain experienced by veterans, encourage HIV testing for veterans, and expand the VA’s authority to provide counseling for family members of veterans receiving non-service-connected treatment. The bill also included the text of H.R. 6366, the Veterans’ Revenue Enhancement Act of 2008.  This bill will help the VA better manage collections from insurance companies.