H.R. 5261 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Sep 10, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryVA expands emergency care reimbursement for veterans
The VA currently limits how much it will reimburse veterans for emergency care costs they paid out of pocket to other providers. This bill changes those limits by allowing the VA to reimburse copayments of $100 or more, and it removes restrictions on reimbursing deductibles and coinsurance. The change applies to emergency claims going back to February 2010, including claims from veterans involved in an ongoing legal case.
How it affects you
Veterans who've paid copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance for emergency care at non-VA hospitals or clinics could receive reimbursement from the VA under these new rules. This includes veterans whose claims go back many years, even if the VA previously denied or limited those reimbursements.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Sep 10, 2025)
Veterans Emergency Care Reimbursement Act of 2025
This bill modifies the limitation on reimbursement for emergency treatment of amounts a veteran owes to a third party or owes under a health plan contract. Specifically, the bill allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to reimburse copayments of $100 or more and excludes deductibles and coinsurance from the limitation.
This modification must apply with respect to any reimbursement claim for emergency treatment furnished on or after February 1, 2010, including claims submitted by a member of the certified class seeking relief in Wolfe v. McDonough .
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. 5261
A BILL
Veterans Emergency Care Reimbursement Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6) · Introduced Sep 10, 2025 · Armed Forces and National Security · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Sep 22, 2025: “Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.”