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HR 9033

Timely Agreements Act

119th Congress Introduced by Mariannette Miller-Meeks

The bill speeds VA-state home agreements for shared care (pharma, DME) by a 60-day decision, deemed approval if missing, and shields care without an agreement from deficiency findi

Introduced in House
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Bill Summary · HR 9033

Summary of HR 9033 – Timely Agreements Act (Session 119)

Purpose and intent

  • The bill seeks to improve and accelerate the process for sharing health-care resources between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and State Veterans Homes.
  • It aims to reduce delays in approving agreements related to the purchase of pharmaceuticals and durable medical equipment (DME) and to clarify care provisions when no formal agreement is in place.

Key provisions

  1. New provision: Timely decisions on certain proposals (Section 8153a of Title 38)

    • States that when a State home submits a proposal to the VA for an agreement under Section 8153 (covering shared health-care resources, including pharmaceuticals and DME), the VA Secretary must approve or reject the proposal within 60 calendar days of receipt.
    • If the VA does not act by the 60-day decision date, the proposal is deemed approved and takes effect.
    • Rejection of a proposal does not prevent the State home from submitting or the Secretary from negotiating or approving future proposals.
    • The VA must allow multiple submission channels (hand delivery, mail, facsimile, email, and other appropriate methods) for proposals.
    • The VA must provide a standard template for proposals.
    • Implementation: A standard template must be established and available no later than 180 days after enactment.
    • The new section is added to the table of sections as Section 8153a.

  2. Care provision without an agreement not a deficiency (Section 162 of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2022)

    • The bill amends the 2022 Act to add a new subsection (d) titled “Provision of care without an agreement not a deficiency.”
    • Key effect: Notwithstanding existing law (Section 1742, Title 38), if a State home provides care to an eligible veteran when there is no applicable agreement in place with the VA under Section 8153, the absence of an agreement shall not, by itself, be treated as an inspection violation or deficiency.
    • This creates a protection for State homes against penalties or deficiencies solely due to lack of a formal agreement at the time care is provided.

Affected parties and scope

  • Primary beneficiaries: State Veterans Homes and eligible veterans receiving care through or coordinated with those homes.
  • Federal role: VA Department leadership and regional offices in negotiating and approving shared-care arrangements, and in implementing the standardized proposal template and timely decision framework.
  • Care operations: Ensures streamlined access to pharmaceuticals and DME through faster approvals, and clarifies enforcement/inspection standards when agreements are not in place.

Procedural and timeline considerations

  • Effective date for new template (8153a): The standard proposal template must be established and available within 180 days of enactment.
  • Decision deadline: 60 days for VA to decide on qualifying proposals; silence equals approval.
  • Proposal submission methods: The Secretary must accept proposals via multiple channels (hand delivery, mail, fax, email, etc.).
  • Interim impact: Rejections do not bar future proposals; care can proceed pending negotiations if a pathway exists.
  • Deficiency protection (Section 162(d) as amended): Removes automatic deficiency designation solely due to lack of an agreement when providing care, aligning enforcement with this new practice.

Practical impact and considerations

  • The bill is designed to reduce administrative bottlenecks and speed up access to needed medications and DME for veterans in state homes.
  • It provides a clear, time-bound process for agreement decisions, potentially increasing predictability for state homes.
  • The “deemed approved” mechanism may shorten delays but could raise questions about due diligence and quality controls; oversight and standard templates are intended to address these concerns.
  • The defense against deficiency findings when no agreement exists aims to prevent penalties in transitional periods while agreements are being negotiated.

Status

  • Introduced in the House on May 26, 2026, by Rep. Miller-Meeks.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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