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Bill

HR 9476

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to coordinate with the Secretary of Health and Human Services in administering the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Directs VA to coordinate with HHS to administer the Veterans Community Care Program, aiming to streamline and align community care across agencies.

Introduced in House
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Bill Summary · HR 9476

Overview

HR 9476 is a bill introduced in the 119th Congress with the stated purpose of directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to coordinate with the Secretary of Health and Human Services in administering the Veterans Community Care Program, along with other related provisions. The bill has a co-sponsor: Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. It was referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, with additional referrals to the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Main purpose and intent

  • The core aim is to improve coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in administering the Veterans Community Care Program.
  • By mandating interagency coordination, the bill seeks to streamline and potentially enhance access to community care for enrolled veterans, ensuring requirements and processes are aligned across VA and HHS.

Key provisions and changes (highlights)

  • Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to coordinate with the Secretary of Health and Human Services in administering the Veterans Community Care Program.
  • The language implies establishing mechanisms for information sharing, referral processes, credentialing, or oversight to ensure cohesive operation of community-based care options for veterans, though specific operational details would be driven by the bill’s text and any accompanying rules.
  • Possible alignment of standards, eligibility criteria, reimbursement methodologies, and dispute resolution between VA and HHS for services delivered outside VA facilities but within the community care framework.
  • The bill may include ancillary or related provisions customary to interagency coordination efforts (e.g., reporting requirements, performance metrics, or oversight provisions), though exact specifics would require review of the full bill text.

Who/what is affected

  • Veterans who receive or seek community-based care through the Veterans Community Care Program.
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), particularly the office overseeing the Veterans Community Care Program.
  • The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as the coordinating partner.
  • Potentially VA healthcare providers, community providers contracted under the program, and VA and HHS staff involved in administration, referrals, reimbursements, and compliance.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced in the House on 2026-06-25.
  • Referred to:
    • Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
    • Committee on Ways and Means
    • Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Referred for “a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,” indicating standard chain-of-Referral processes to consider provisions within each committee’s jurisdiction.
  • No date for a floor vote or enacted status is provided in the summary; as with many bills, progression depends on committee consideration, potential amendments, and floor action.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Expected improvements in coordination may reduce delays, redundancies, or confusion for veterans navigating community care options.
  • Shared standards between VA and HHS could affect reimbursement, eligibility, and oversight, with implications for veterans’ access to timely care.
  • The bill’s effectiveness will depend on detailed implementation provisions, data-sharing safeguards, privacy considerations, and the allocation of responsibilities between agencies.

If you’d like, I can pull in the full bill text (when available) to extract specific provisions, funding authorizations, and timelines for any implementing regulations.

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

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