Lets veterans in the Veterans Community Care Program get care at critical access hospitals and nearby rural clinics without prior authorization or referral if they live within 35 miles.

Official title: Critical Access for Veterans Care Act

Next stop Senate floor: awaiting a vote

Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions

Senate

Introduced 22-MAY-2025

Referred 22-MAY-2025

Approved by committee 18-MAR-2026

Key points

Adds a category allowing covered veterans living within 35 miles of a critical access hospital or affiliated rural health clinic to receive community care
Bars the VA Secretary from requiring authorization or referral for that care
Pays critical access hospitals the Medicare critical access hospital rate and requires cost-based reimbursement for claims
Requires claims to be paid within 60 days of submission and requires a VA report one year after enactment on implementation

AI-generated from the Introduced in Senate text of 22-MAY-2025 · verify · report an error

Official CRS summary

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Committee referrals (1)

Policy area

Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor Kevin Cramer (R-ND) Cosponsors · 2

■ 2 R

2 Republicans

congress.gov page Introduced in Senate (22-MAY-2025)