H.R. 3951 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Sep 15, 2025. Received Sep 16, 2025; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands VA disability exam professionals through 2031
The VA currently contracts with certain non-VA doctors, physician assistants, and a few other health care professionals to do disability examinations for veterans. This bill expands who can do those exams to include dentists, pharmacists, and other health care professionals, and extends the program through January 5, 2031. The VA will also have to report on how it uses this expanded authority.
How it affects you
Rural veterans may benefit most directly, since this expansion makes it easier for the VA to find more health care professionals in their areas to conduct the disability exams needed to approve veterans' benefits and care. The broader pool of professionals could mean shorter wait times and better access for veterans living far from major VA medical centers.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jun 12, 2025)
Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025
This bill extends and expands the pilot program under which certain non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care professionals may be contracted to provide disability examinations to veterans, regardless of the jurisdiction of their licensure, for purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and care. Specifically, the bill (1) expands the types of health care professionals who may provide such examinations, and (2) extends the authority for such professionals to be contracted for this purpose through January 5, 2031.
Currently, such examinations may only be contracted to licensed non-VA physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, or psychologists. The bill expands the list to include qualified health care professionals who are eligible for appointment to specified positions in the Veterans Health Administration, including hospital or clinic directors, dentists, and pharmacists.
The VA must report on its use of the expanded authority under this bill.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 3951
AN ACT
Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-6) · Introduced Jun 12, 2025 · Armed Forces and National Security · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Sep 16, 2025: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.”
Numbers that changed
Dollar amounts, dates and percentages, taken word for word from the text| Section | Where | Before | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sec. 2Date | Improvements to temporary licensure requirements for contract health care professionals who perform medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs…the enactment of this Act and inserting On September 30, 2031. (c) Conforming amendment Paragraph (2) of such…Committee version → Passed the House | January 5, 2031 | September 30, 2031 |
Listed only when one value replaced another and the surrounding words stayed the same. Open a section to read the full wording.