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S 219 119th Congress Senate Armed Forces and National Security Congressional oversight Health care coverage and access Health facilities and institutions Hospital care Veterans' medical care

Veterans Health Care Freedom Act

Introduced: January 23, 2025 Introduced by: Blackburn, Marsha Republican · Tennessee See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 21, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-86.
Jan 23, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Jan 23, 2025
Introduced in Senate
 Votes taken on this bill 1
DateChamberWhat was voted onResultYes–No
Mar 29, 1995 Senate · vote #117 On Passage of the Bill S. 219 Passed 100–0 See who voted →
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Veterans Health Care Freedom Act

This bill requires the Center for Innovation for Care and Payment within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a three-year pilot program to provide veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system with the ability to choose health care providers through the covered care system. Under the bill, the covered care system includes VA medical facilities, health care providers participating in the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), and eligible entities or providers that have entered into a Veterans Care Agreement.

A veteran participating in the program may elect to receive care at any provider in the covered care system.

The pilot program removes certain requirements (e.g., location of the veteran) to access care at VA and non-VA facilities. After four years, the bill permanently phases out the requirements for accessing care under the VCCP and Veterans Care Agreements and requires the VA to provide such care under the same conditions of the pilot program. Additionally, after four years, veterans may receive care at a VA medical facility regardless of whether the facility is in the same Veterans Integrated Service Network as the veteran.

What's happening now May 21, 2025

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-86.

 Hearings & markups 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Lobbying activity 9

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

See all 9 filings →
 Cosponsors 8
All 8 Republican 8
R
Sullivan, Dan
Alaska · Apr 14, 2026
 R
Daines, Steve
Montana · Jun 10, 2025
 R
Cramer, Kevin
North Dakota · Jan 23, 2025
 R
Cruz, Ted
Texas · Jan 23, 2025
 R
Rounds, Mike
South Dakota · Jan 23, 2025
 R
Sheehy, Tim
Montana · Jan 23, 2025
 R
Tuberville, Tommy
Alabama · Jan 23, 2025
 R
Wicker, Roger F.
Mississippi · Jan 23, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 219: Veterans Health Care Freedom Act. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-219/
MLA
"S. 219: Veterans Health Care Freedom Act." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-219/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 219, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-219/.
Markdown link
[S. 219: Veterans Health Care Freedom Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-219/)
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