Rates of pay for a provider of care or services furnished to a veteran under the Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs

(a) Rates Section 1703(i) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) by striking Except as provided in paragraph (2), and to the extent practicable and inserting (A) To the extent practicable; and (B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: (B) The Secretary shall establish rates for payments under subparagraph (A) that are specific with respect to the following locations at which the care or services were provided (regardless of the location of the headquarters of the provider): (i) An inpatient hospital. (ii) An on-campus hospital outpatient department. (iii) An off-campus hospital outpatient department. (iv) An ambulatory surgical center. (v) The office of a physician. (C) The Secretary shall ensure that a claim for payment under this paragraph includes a unique, geographically specific national provider identifier code that identifies the location of the provider as described in subparagraph (B).; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (7) If the Secretary may pay more than one rate under this paragraph for care or services, the Secretary shall pay the lowest such rate.. (b) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on January 1, 2026.