Prohibition on collection of health care copayments by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under certain conditions; authority of the Secretary to waive health care copayments

Section 1730A of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking the heading and inserting Prohibitions on collection of copayments under certain conditions; (2) in subsection (a)— (A) in the heading, by striking Prohibition and inserting Prohibitions; and (B) by striking the Secretary may not require and all that follows through the end of the subsection and inserting the following: the Secretary may not require— (1) a covered veteran to make any copayment for the receipt of hospital care or medical services under the laws administered by the Secretary; (2) any veteran to make any copayment for the receipt of such hospital care or medical services after the end of the two-year period beginning on the date such veteran received such hospital care or medical services if the failure of the veteran to make such copayment during such period is attributable to the failure of an employee, official, or information system of the Department to process information provided by or on behalf of the veteran within applicable timeliness standards established by the Secretary; or (3) any veteran to make a copayment in an amount that exceeds $2,000 for the receipt of such hospital care or medical services if the amount of such copayment is attributable to an error on the part of an employee, official, or information system of the Department.; (3) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and (4) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection: (b) Waiver authority The Secretary may waive the requirement for a veteran to make any copayment for the receipt of such hospital care or medical services in any case in which the Secretary determines such a waiver would be appropriate, without regard to whether the veteran submits to the Secretary a request for such waiver..

(a) In general Subchapter III of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1722C the following new section: 1722D. Copayments: prohibitions on collection under certain conditions; waiver authority (a) In general Notwithstanding subsections (f) and (g) of section 1710 of this title, section 1722A(a) of this title, section 1725A of this title, or any other provision of law requiring an individual to make a copayment to the Secretary, the Secretary may not require a veteran to make any copayment for the receipt of hospital care or medical services under the laws administered by the Secretary after the end of the two-year period beginning on the date such veteran received such hospital care or medical services if the Secretary failed to provide the veteran notice— (1) of the copayment within applicable timeliness standards established by the Secretary; or (2) that the aggregate amount of copayments for such care or services the veteran owes to the Secretary is greater than the dollar amount described in paragraph (1) of subsection (b). (b) Dollar amount described (1) The dollar amount described in this paragraph is $2,000. (2) On the first day of each fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of the STRIVE Act of 2025, the Secretary shall, increase the dollar amount described in paragraph (1) by a percentage equal to the percentage by which the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States city average) increased during the previous fiscal year. In the event that such index does not increase during such period, the Secretary shall maintain the dollar amount in effect under paragraph (1) during the previous fiscal year. (c) Waiver authority The Secretary may waive the requirement for a veteran to make any copayment for the receipt of such hospital care or medical services in any case in which the Secretary determines such a waiver would be appropriate, without regard to whether the veteran submits to the Secretary a request for such waiver.. (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1722C the following new item: 1722D. Copayments: prohibition on collection of under certain conditions; waiver authority..