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S 963 109th Congress Senate

Veterans' Health Care and Equitable Access Act of 2005

Official title: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a guaranteed adequate level of funding for veterans' health care, to direct the Secretary of Veter… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a guaranteed adequate level of funding for veterans' health care, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot program to improve access to health care for rural veterans, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 28, 2005 Introduced by: Thune, John Republican · South Dakota See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Access to health careArmed forces reservesChronically illCollection of accounts
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CommerceCongressCongressional reporting requirementsCost accountingDay careDisabledDrugsEconomics and Public FinanceFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorGovernment trust fundsGovernmental investigationsHealthHealth insuranceHospital rates
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This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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
Apr 28, 2005
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Apr 28, 2005
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6400-6401)
Apr 28, 2005
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action April 28, 2005

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Veterans' Health Care and Equitable Access Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make specified funds available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) for Veterans Health Administration FY 2007 programs.

Prohibits fund use for: (1) construction, acquisition, or alteration of veterans' medical facilities (other than for certain repairs); or (2) grants for the construction of State home facilities for veterans' domiciliary, nursing home, and hospital care.

Directs the Secretary to conduct a pilot program to improve health care access for rural veterans.

Provides: (1) for travel reimbursement for veterans receiving treatment in VA facilities at the same as for Federal employees on official business; (2) that the disability rating for a veteran who loses a limb as a result of a service-connected injury shall be at least 50 percent; and (3) that if a member of the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserve dies while on active service or active status such individual's child enrolled in any Federal child care program shall continue receiving such services for 24 months after such death.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a Medicare subvention project under which HHS shall reimburse the VA for Medicare health care services furnished to Medicare-eligible veterans in VA facilities.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 963: Veterans' Health Care and Equitable Access Act of 2005. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-963/
MLA
"S. 963: Veterans' Health Care and Equitable Access Act of 2005." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-963/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 963, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-963/.
Markdown link
[S. 963: Veterans' Health Care and Equitable Access Act of 2005](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-963/)
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