Congressman Brian J. Mast | Brian J. Mast Official Website
Congressman Brian J. Mast | Brian J. Mast Official Website
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressmen Brian Mast (FL-21), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), and Paul Gosar (AZ-9) introduced legislation today aimed at protecting veterans and their families from unexpected medical bills in emergency situations.
The Emergency Community Care Notification Time Adjustment Act proposes shifting the requirement to notify the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of emergency treatment provided by a community care partner from 72 hours after admittance to 72 hours after discharge. This change is intended to allow veterans and their families to prioritize health and recovery over immediate bureaucratic concerns.
“When you or your loved one is facing a health emergency, the last thing on your mind is filling out a form for the VA, but under the status quo, that’s an oversight that could cost you thousands of dollars in surprise medical bills,” said Congressman Mast. “All too often, the bureaucracy of the VA stands in the way of the VA’s mission: to provide the best possible care for those who have served our nation. Our bill is a simple fix that will help veterans receive the care they earned and deserve.”
Congressman Bilirakis added, “When Veterans are in the midst of a medical emergency, their sole focus should be on getting well. They should not have to worry about how the provider will get reimbursed by the VA or be saddled with fears of getting stuck with the bill. The flexibility our commonsense bill affords to Veterans is the least we owe to our nation’s heroes.”
“It may not always be feasible for a Veteran, or someone acting on a Veteran’s behalf, to notify the VA of an emergency treatment event,” noted Congressman Gosar. “The last thing a Veteran needs to endure is a hefty penalty or surprise medical bills for failing to meet the 72-hour deadline.”
Congressman Mast introduced this legislation following incidents where several veterans and family members faced unexpected medical bills totaling thousands of dollars due to failure in notifying the VA within 72 hours of being admitted.
Under current law, notification must occur within 72 hours from when emergency care starts. Failure to do so makes veterans responsible for their entire hospital bill. The proposed bill aims to extend this notification period until 72 hours after discharge.
The Emergency Community Care Notification Time Adjustment Act has been referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.
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