Sponsors (2)
The bill expands no‑cost preventive care for veterans and their families—improving access and likely health outcomes—at the cost of higher VA program spending, potential strains on VA capacity, and added administrative and political challenges.
Veterans, survivors, and dependents will pay less out-of-pocket because preventive services (vaccines, screenings, related medications) are exempt from VA copayments, reducing financial barriers to care.
Veterans — including women and those with chronic conditions — gain broader access to evidence-based preventive services (USPSTF/major professional recommendations, immunizations, contraception, counseling, breastfeeding support), improving early detection and prevention.
Over-the-counter preventive medications and opioid antagonists (e.g., naloxone) are covered without copay, increasing access to lifesaving harm-reduction tools and routine OTC preventive treatments.
Expanding copayment exemptions increases VA program costs and could pressure VA budgets or require spending offsets, affecting federal spending priorities and taxpayers.
Removing copayments may increase demand for VA preventive services and strain appointment availability and access if VA clinical capacity is not expanded.
Broad, open-ended coverage definitions tied to professional organizations could create implementation complexity and administrative burden for VA staff and health systems.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced March 26, 2026 by Tammy Duckworth · Last progress March 26, 2026
Eliminates copayments for preventive health services provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs and expands what counts as a covered preventive service. The change covers medications (including certain over-the-counter drugs), opioid antagonists, immunizations, screenings, counseling, contraceptive services and related supplies, and extends the no-copay rule to preventive care received during hospital or nursing home stays, walk-in care, and to certain survivors and dependents. The amendments take effect 180 days after enactment.