I
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. R. 1972
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the period during which
the referral of a veteran, made by a health care provider of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, to a non-Department provider, for care or
services under the Community Care Program of such Department, re-
mains valid.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH10, 2025
Mrs. M
ILLER-MEEKSintroduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the
period during which the referral of a veteran, made by
a health care provider of the Department of Veterans
Affairs, to a non-Department provider, for care or serv-
ices under the Community Care Program of such Depart-
ment, remains valid.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Standardizing Treat-4
ment and Referral Times Act of 2025’’ or the ‘‘START 5
Act of 2025’’. 6
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•HR 1972 IH
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PERIOD DURING WHICH A RE-1
FERRAL UNDER THE COMMUNITY CARE PRO-2
GRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 3
AFFAIRS REMAINS VALID. 4
Section 1703(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, 5
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-6
paragraph: 7
‘‘(E) Ensuring that the period during which the 8
referral of a covered veteran, made by a health care 9
provider of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to 10
a non-Department provider, for care or services 11
under this section, is valid, begins on the day that 12
the covered veteran has the first appointment with 13
such non-Department provider.’’. 14
Æ
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