Sec. 10. Improving health care access for veterans in freely associated states
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Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, shall commence a demonstration program to provide hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to veterans residing in the freely associated states. The Secretary shall carry out the demonstration program required by paragraph
(1)during the 3-year period beginning on the date of the commencement of the demonstration program. In carrying out the demonstration program required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— consult with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of State, each government of the freely associated states, and nongovernmental organizations as the Secretary considers appropriate; emphasize the use of telehealth and provide education and training using technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity-building models to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs and, to the extent practicable, to local health care providers, responsible for carrying out the demonstration program; assess the feasibility of providing hospital care, medical services, and extended care services through local providers; conduct a robust outreach program to inform veterans in the freely associated states about the demonstration program and the services available under the demonstration program; assess the feasibility and advisability of building clinics or leasing space on military installations or embassy compounds or in consulate facilities of the United States in the freely associated states for the purposes of providing hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to veterans; and submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the findings of the Secretary with respect to the demonstration program that includes— an explanation of how the Secretary expects to provide continuity of care to veterans in the freely associated states; an assessment of the barriers and facilitators to providing hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to veterans residing in the freely associated states, including recommendations to facilitate the provision of such care and services; and an estimate of the budgetary resources required to establish and provide hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to veterans in the freely associated states during the 10-year period beginning on the date of the submittal of the report to such committees. In this subsection: The term freely associated states means the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, which have each entered into a Compact of Free Association with the United States. The term veteran has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code. Section 1703(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: For purposes of paragraph (1)(B), the term State includes the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, which have each entered into a Compact of Free Association with the United States. . Section 1724 of such title is amended— in subsection (b)(2)(A), by striking or in Canada and inserting , Canada, or the freely associated states ; and by adding at the end, the following new subsection: In this section, the term freely associated states means the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, which have each entered into a Compact of Free Association with the United States. .