Foreign Medical Program Integrity and Improvement Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9466 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9466

 To improve the integrity and oversight of the Foreign Medical Program 
     of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2026

 Mr. Harrigan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To improve the integrity and oversight of the Foreign Medical Program 
     of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Foreign Medical Program Integrity 
and Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. FOREIGN MEDICAL PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: 
              RATES OF PAYMENT; OVERSIGHT.

    (a) Rates of Payment.--Section 1724 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the rate paid for hospital care 
or medical services under this section shall be the lesser of--
            ``(A) the amount billed for such hospital care or medical 
        services; or
            ``(B) the rate paid by the United States to a provider of 
        services (as defined in section 1861(u) of the Social Security 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(u))) or a supplier (as defined in section 
        1861(d) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(d))) under the Medicare 
        program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1301 et seq.), including section 1834 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1395m), for the same care or services.
    ``(2) The Secretary may make a payment in excess of the rate 
determined under paragraph (1) to ensure that a veteran has access to 
hospital care or medical services, including in an emergency.''.
    (b) In the Case of a Deceased Veteran or Provider.--Section 1724 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection:
    ``(h)(1) The Secretary may not use any Federal funds to pay for 
care or services furnished under this section--
            ``(A)(i) to an individual who appears in the Death Master 
        File; or
            ``(ii) by an individual who appears in the Death Master 
        File; and
            ``(B) after the date of death of such individual.
    ``(2) In this subsection, the term `Death Master File' has the 
meaning given such term in section 203 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 
2013 (Public Law 113-167; 42 U.S.C. 1306c).''.
    (c) In Cases of Fraud.--Section 1724 of title 38, United States 
Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsections:
    ``(i) In the case of a claim for payment for care or services 
furnished under this section that the Secretary suspects constitutes 
fraud, waste or abuse, the Secretary--
            ``(1) shall refer such claim to the Inspector General of 
        the Department;
            ``(2) may withhold such payment during the investigation of 
        such claim;
            ``(3) shall approve the claim and release such payment as 
        soon as practicable if the Inspector General determines that 
        the claim is proper; and
            ``(4) shall, if the Inspector General determines that such 
        claim constitutes fraud, waste or abuse--
                    ``(A) deny the claim; and
                    ``(B) take action the Secretary determines 
                appropriate to recover any Federal funds already paid 
                in relation to such claim, claimant, or provider.
    ``(j)(1) The Secretary shall maintain a list of providers of care 
or services furnished under this section who have submitted fraudulent 
claims for such care or services.
    ``(2) The Secretary may not use any Federal funds to pay for care 
or services furnished under this section by a provider whose name 
appears on the list.
    ``(3) Each time the Secretary adds the name of a provider to the 
list, the Secretary shall distribute the list electronically to 
veterans registered in a program under this section.
    ``(j) The Secretary shall designate a Fraud Detection and 
Prevention Coordinator to carry out subsections (h), (i), and (j) of 
this section.''.
    (d) Authority To Contract.--
            (1) In general.--Section 1724 of title 38, United States 
        Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(k) The Secretary may enter into an agreement with an entity 
pursuant to which such entity shall serve as a third-party 
administrator of claims for care or services furnished under this 
section.''.
            (2) Temporary expansion.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        may enter into an agreement with an entity pursuant to which 
        such entity shall provide to the Secretary access to an 
        information technology system for the administration of claims 
        for care or services furnished under such section. If the 
        Secretary exercises such authority, the Secretary shall ensure 
        that implementation of such system is complete not later than 
        one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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