H.R. 1972: VA Billing Accountability Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-04-06 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-04-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

VA Billing Accountability Act

Plain summary

VA Billing Accountability Act (Sec. 2) This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to waive the requirement that a veteran make copayments for medication, hospital care, nursing home care, or medical services if the veteran received copayment notification more than 180 days after the medical service or receipt of medication and such delay was caused by VA error. In requiring a veteran to make a copayment for medical services, the VA shall notify the veteran within 180 days (18 months in the case of a non-VA facility) of the service. If the VA does not provide such notification, it may not collect the payment unless the veteran is provided with an opportunity to apply for a waiver or establish a payment plan. The VA shall review and improve its copayment billing internal controls and notification procedures.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

VA Billing Accountability Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16] · 48 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1972, VA Billing Accountability Act (2018-05-17)

Cosponsors on this site

Tom Emmer (R-MN), John H. Rutherford (R-FL), David G. Valadao (R-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Michael R. Turner (R-OH), Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Bost (R-IL), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Eric A. "Rick" Crawford (R-AR)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16] reported raising $1.9 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr1972.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr1972 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115