H.R. 6591: To ensure that veterans receive timely and effective health care under the Veterans Community Care Program and Veterans Care Agreements during the COVID-19 emergency, and for other purposes.

H.R. 6591: To ensure that veterans receive timely and effective health care under the Veterans Community Care Program and Veterans Care Agreements during the COVID-19 emergency, and for other purposes.

116th Congress · introduced 2020-04-21 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-04-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. 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

To ensure that veterans receive timely and effective health care under the Veterans Community Care Program and Veterans Care Agreements during the COVID-19 emergency, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill sets forth policies and procedures related to medical care for veterans covered under the Veterans Community Care Program and Veterans Care Agreements during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period. Specifically, the bill authorizes covered veterans to receive care for COVID-19 diagnosis or treatment under the Veterans Community Care Program and Veterans Care Agreements during the COVID-19 emergency period, regardless of whether such care is for a service-connected disability. Emergency medical care and COVID-19 care shall not require Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) preauthorization during the emergency period. The bill prescribes how the VA shall administer claims for payments relating to emergency COVID-19 care, depending on whether the community care provider is (1) an eligible provider under the Veterans Community Care Program, (2) party to a Veterans Care Agreement, or (3) not eligible under the Veterans Community Care Program or part of a Veterans Care Agreement. The bill classifies emergency treatment for COVID-19 as emergency treatment eligible for coverage by the VA. The VA shall determine whether a veteran who receives emergency care for COVID-19 is an active VA health care participant without regard to whether the veteran has received VA medical care in the two years preceding such emergency care. Finally, the bill specifies that, during the emergency period, community care providers that furnish emergency COVID-19 care are required to submit a claim for payment to the VA within 180 days of such care.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

To ensure that veterans receive timely and effective health care under the Veterans Community Care Program and Veterans Care Agreements during the COVID-19 emergency, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] reported raising $23.7 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 (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr6591.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr6591 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116