Protect Seniors and Veterans from Health Care Fraud Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9502 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9502

  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into a
  memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Health and Human
   Services to avoid duplicative, improper, or erroneous billings or
  payments for hospital care and medical services furnished under the
        laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 29, 2026

Mr. Bresnahan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
 Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on
      Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into a
  memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Health and Human
   Services to avoid duplicative, improper, or erroneous billings or
  payments for hospital care and medical services furnished under the
        laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Seniors and Veterans from
Health Care Fraud Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR RECIPROCAL ACCESS TO CERTAIN
              HEALTH CARE DATA BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS
              AFFAIRS AND THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, for
purposes of avoiding duplicative, improper, or erroneous billings or
payments for hospital care and medical services furnished under the
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, seek to enter
into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Health and
Human Services with respect to reciprocal access between the Veterans
Health Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services to data and information on veterans who are concurrently
enrolled in the patient enrollment system under section 1705(a) of
title 38, United States Code, and--
            (1) the Medicare program;
            (2) the Medicaid program; or
            (3) a Medicare Advantage plan.
    (b) Agreement.--The memorandum of understanding required under
subsection (a) shall include an agreement through which--
            (1) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs transmits to the
        Secretary of Health and Human Services--
                    (A) information relating to veterans who are--
                            (i) enrolled in such system for patient
                        enrollment; and
                            (ii) in receipt of hospital care or medical
                        services under laws administered by the
                        Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and
                    (B) such other information as the Secretary of
                Veterans Affairs determines appropriate, including
                billing codes and diagnostic codes for such hospital
                care or medical services; and
            (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services--
                    (A) uses information transmitted pursuant to
                paragraph (1) to identify veterans who are concurrently
                enrolled in such system for patient enrollment and--
                            (i) the Medicare program;
                            (ii) the Medicaid program; or
                            (iii) a Medicare Advantage plan; and
                    (B) transmits to the Secretary of Veterans
                Affairs--
                            (i) a list of the veterans identified
                        pursuant to subparagraph (A); and
                            (ii) such other information as the
                        Secretary of Health and Human Services
                        determines appropriate.
    (c) Term.--The memorandum of understanding required under
subsection (a) shall be effective for a two-year period beginning on
the date on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs enters into such
memorandum.
    (d) Report.--Not later than one year after the date on which the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs enters into the memorandum of
understanding required under subsection (a), and on a biennial basis
thereafter during the period such memorandum is effective, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the
House of Representatives and the Senate a report that includes--
            (1) a summary of the activities of the Secretary carried
        out pursuant to such memorandum; and
            (2) an assessment of the Secretary with respect to the
        effectiveness of such memorandum in avoiding duplicative,
        improper, or erroneous billings or payments for hospital care
        and medical services furnished under the laws administered by
        the Secretary.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``Medicaid program'' means the program of
        medical assistance established under title XIX of the Social
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
            (2) The term ``Medicare Advantage plan'' means a Medicare
        Advantage plan under the program established under part C of
        title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-21 et
        seq.).
            (3) The term ``Medicare program'' means the Medicare
        program under such title.
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