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HR 3561 104th Congress House

Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Expansion Act of 1996

Official title: To provide greater authority for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to share health-care resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to provide enhanced ad… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To provide greater authority for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to share health-care resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to provide enhanced administrative flexibility in carrying out health-care resources sharing agreements, and for other purposes.

Introduced: May 30, 1996 Introduced by: Smith, Christopher H. Republican · New Jersey See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Collection of accountsDepartment of Veterans AffairsFederal employeesFinance and Financial Sector
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Government Operations and PoliticsGovernment procurementHealthHealth facilitiesHealth insuranceInsurance companiesMedical suppliesMedicareSocial WelfareVeterans' hospitalsVeterans' medical care
This bill died when the 104th Congress ended
It never became law before the 104th Congress (1995–1996) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 11, 1996
Referred to the Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health Care.
May 30, 1996
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
May 30, 1996
Introduced in House
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 Latest action June 11, 1996

Referred to the Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health Care.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Expansion Act of 1996 - Repeals a provision of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 which terminates the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense for the sharing of health care.

Entitles the United States to recover or collect from a private health care plan charges for care or services furnished by a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility to a primary beneficiary of such plan to the extent that the beneficiary would be eligible under the plan to receive payment if the care or services had not been furnished by a U.S. department or agency.

Repeals a statement of congressional purpose regarding the sharing of health care resources of the Department with certain other entities.

Authorizes the Secretary to share all health care resources (currently, only specialized medical resources) with medical schools, health-care facilities and research centers (current law), as well as with any health-care provider or plan, insurer, or other entity or individual.

Repeals a provision requiring reciprocal reimbursement of the cost of such shared resources, instead providing for payment to the Department under procedures which allow appropriate flexibility to negotiate a payment which is in the best interest of the Government.

Authorizes the Secretary to enter into an arrangement that authorizes the furnishing of services to non-veterans only if the Secretary determines that such an arrangement: (1) will not result in the denial of or delay in the provision of care to any veteran at that facility; and (2) is necessary to maintain an acceptable level and quality of service to veterans and will result in the improvement of services to eligible veterans at that facility.

Excludes from limitations on the number of full-time equivalent positions permitted in the Department those positions held by persons involved in providing health care resources under sharing arrangements.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3561: Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Expansion Act of 1996. 104th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-3561/
MLA
"H.R. 3561: Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Expansion Act of 1996." 104th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-3561/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3561, 104th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-3561/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3561: Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Expansion Act of 1996](https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-3561/)
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