H.R. 5261

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the limitation on reimbursement for emergency treatment of amounts owed to a third party or for which the veteran is responsible under a health-plan contract.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · September 10, 2025 · Sponsor: Mrs. Dingell · Committee: Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Table of contents

• H.R. 5261
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Modification of limitation on reimbursement for emergency treatment of amounts owed to a third party or for which the veteran is responsible under a health-plan contract

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the Veterans Emergency Care Reimbursement Act of 2025.

SEC. 2. Modification of limitation on reimbursement for emergency treatment of amounts owed to a third party or for which the veteran is responsible under a health-plan contract

• (a) In general
  • Section 1725(c)(4)(D) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
    • by striking The Secretaryand inserting (i) The Secretary;
    • in clause (i), as designated by paragraph (1), by striking or similar paymentand inserting of less than inserting00; and
      • (ii) In this subparagraph, the term copayment means a fixed amount paid by an individual for a covered health service received by the individual and does not include any amount paid for a deductible or coinsurance.
    • by adding at the end the following new clause:
• (b) Application of amendment
  • The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to any reimbursement claim under section 1725 of such title submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs for emergency treatment furnished on or after February 1, 2012, including any such claim submitted by a member of the certified class seeking relief in Wolfe v. McDonough, No. 18–6091 (U.S. Vet. App.).
• (c) Definitions
  • In this section:
    • The terms and have the meanings given those terms in section 1725(f) of title 38, United States Code. emergency treatment,health-plan contract
    • The term includes any claim by a veteran for reimbursement of a copayment, deductible, coinsurance, or any other type of cost share for emergency treatment furnished to the veteran in a non-Department of Veterans Affairs facility and made by a veteran who had coverage under a health-plan contract, including any claim for the reasonable value of emergency treatment that was rejected or denied by the Department of Veterans Affairs, whether the rejection or denial was final or not. reimbursement claim