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S. 275: Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025

119th Congress · introduced 2025-01-28 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

federal

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Official title

Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025

Plain summary

Veterans' Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025 This bill addresses the administration of the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and other Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care matters. Among other provisions regarding the VCCP, the bill establishes in statute access standards that determine when a veteran is eligible to receive non-VA care through the VCCP, requires the VA to notify veterans regarding their eligibility for care within two business days after the VA is aware the veteran is seeking care, and extends the deadline for the submittal of claims under the VCCP by health care entities and providers. The VA must address its mental health treatment programs by establishing a standardized screening process to determine whether a veteran satisfies criteria for priority or routine admission to a mental health residential rehabilitation treatment program or a program for residential care for mental health and substance abuse disorders, tracking the performance of medical facilities and Veterans Integrated Service Networks in meeting the requirements for mental health treatment screenings and timely admission to treatment programs under such screenings, and establishing an appeal process for when a veteran is denied admission to a covered treatment program or is accepted into a program but not offered bed placement in a timely manner. Additionally, the VA must establish an online self-service module for veterans to request and manage appointments, track referrals, and appeal and track decisions related to requests for care.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS] · 15 cosponsors

Money: CBO cost estimate: S. 275, Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers Act of 2025 (2026-01-26) No linked contracts or vendors yet.

Words on this page, explained (2)
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).
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong119-s275 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills