Department of Veterans Affairs Improvement and Reinvention Act of 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Veterans Health-Care Programs

Part A: Reform of the Health Care Eligibility System

Part B: General Program Administration Improvements

Title II: Benefit Programs

Part A: Loan Guaranty Program

Part B: Education Programs

Department of Veterans Affairs Improvement and Reinvention Act of 1995 - Title I: Veterans Health-Care Programs - Part A: Reform of the Health Care Eligibility System - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish health care (currently, only hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary care) to veterans in a specified order of priority, with first priority given to veterans having compensable service-connected disabilities, former prisoners of war, those whose discharge or release from active duty was for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, and those who are in receipt of or entitled to disability compensation (with a limitation). Defines "health care" as the most appropriate treatment for the patient in the most appropriate setting, including hospital, nursing home, domiciliary, outpatient, rehabilitative, home, respite, preventive, and dental care. Authorizes the Secretary to furnish the following care to veterans not listed under the priorities: hospital, nursing home, respite, home, and domiciliary care. Authorizes the Secretary to establish additional priorities. Authorizes the Secretary to furnish health care to other veterans with attributable incomes greater than a specified threshold, as long as such a veteran agrees to pay a copayment applicable to hospital, nursing home, and outpatient care. Provides payment requirements and exceptions in the case of a veteran who is admitted for hospital or nursing home care after having been furnished nursing home or hospital care, respectively, for less than 90 days during the previous 365-day period for which such veteran has paid all required copayments.

(Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary to furnish hospital care, and authorizes the Secretary to furnish other health care, to the following veterans for any disability, notwithstanding the fact that there is insufficient medical evidence to conclude that their disability may be or is associated with the exposure: (1) veterans who served on active duty in Vietnam who may have been exposed to dioxin or a toxic substance found in a herbicide or defoliant used there; (2) veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during nuclear testing during World War II; and (3) veterans who may have been exposed to a toxic substance or environmental hazard while serving during the Persian Gulf War. Provides time limits for the provision of certain care.

(Sec. 104) Authorizes the Secretary to furnish specified mental health services, consultation, professional counseling, and training to members of the immediate family of a patient who is either a veteran or a dependent or survivor receiving health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Authorizes the provision of certain bereavement counseling to recipients of such services upon the death of a veteran or a survivor or dependent.

(Sec. 105) Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) procure medical equipment or prosthetic and similar devices by purchase or manufacture; (2) repair or replace any prosthetic or orthotic device or similar appliance of a veteran which was damaged by a fall or other accident caused by a compensable service-connected disability; and (3) furnish devices for assisting in overcoming deafness to any veteran who is profoundly deaf and entitled to compensation due to a hearing impairment.

(Sec. 106) Authorizes the Secretary, under specified conditions and limitations, to furnish certain dental services to a veteran who is receiving hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care in a Department facility. Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned, within specified periods after an individual's discharge or release from active duty, to provide to such individual a written explanation of his or her eligibility for dental care due to a dental condition which is service-connected but not compensable. Limits to $1,000 the total amount which may be expended for furnishing outpatient dental care to a veteran through private facilities for which the Secretary has contracted, with an exception. Requires the Secretary to report to the appropriate congressional committees in any fiscal year in which funds used for the provision of contracted dental care services are not sufficient to furnish all dental care required for such veterans. Requires service-connected but noncompensable dental care provided under this section to be furnished on a one-time completion basis unless such services are found unacceptable under professional standards. Allows dental appliances required for such care to be procured either by purchase or manufacture.

(Sec. 107) Allows the Secretary to furnish improvements and structural alterations to a veteran's home, but only if necessary to assure the continuation of treatment or to provide access to the home or to essential lavatory and sanitary facilities. Limits the cost of such improvements and alterations.

(Sec. 108) Directs the Secretary, to the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, to furnish to each veteran who is receiving compensation for a service-connected disability or an increased pension as a veteran of a period of war by reason of being permanently housebound or in need of regular aid and attendance, such drugs and medicines as may be ordered by prescription as specific therapy in the treatment of any illness or injury suffered by such veteran. Allows the Secretary to authorize the administration of immunizations to eligible veterans who voluntarily request them in connection with the provision of care for a disability in any Department health care facility.

(Sec. 109) Repeals a Federal provision which allows the direct admission for nursing home care in a non-Department facility for veterans requiring such care for a service-connected disability.

(Sec. 110) Authorizes the Secretary to furnish residential care to veterans when such care would be an alternative to continued hospital care in a Department facility. Limits such care to: (1) veterans who have no resources to pay for such care; and (2) 90 days during any 12-month period. Provides situations under which the Secretary is authorized to assist in the placement of non-qualifying veterans in community residential-care facilities.

(Sec. 111) Authorizes the Department to enter into agreements for the sharing of health-care resources (currently, only specialized medical resources) with non-Department health care providers.

(Sec. 112) Authorizes appropriations to carry out Federal provisions concerning hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary care and medical treatment for veterans.

Part B: General Program Administration Improvements - Increases, beginning on January 1, 1995, the income thresholds used to determine the eligibility of veterans for needs-based benefits. Requires such thresholds to be increased on January 1, 1996, and thereafter by the applicable percentage increase in benefit amounts payable under title II (Old age, survivors and disability insurance) of the Social Security Act.

(Sec. 121) Allows the Department to: (1) retain a specified amount of funds collected from primary insurers for the care of veterans in Department facilities; and (2) use such funds to improve the quality of health care provided.

Title II: Benefit Programs - Part A: Loan Guaranty Program - Repeals a provision requiring the Secretary to report annually to the Congress concerning the manufactured housing loan program (a program which provides Department-guaranteed loans to veterans for the purchase of manufactured homes and lots). Prohibits any loan closed after September 30, 1995, from being guaranteed under such program.

(Sec. 202) Repeals provisions referring to authorized loan fees for loans made to veterans under the manufactured housing loan program.

(Sec. 203) Authorizes the Secretary to contract with a private entity for the servicing of guaranteed housing and small business loans made to veterans. Limits the contract term to 15 years.

Part B: Education Programs - Authorizes the Secretary to require that any report or certification required to be submitted to the Department with respect to eligibility or benefits under the veterans' educational assistance program be submitted electronically by a suitable means, including a digital signature of the certifying or reporting party (which will be considered an original signature). Authorizes the Department to use such data in establishing or verifying the eligibility or continued eligibility of veterans for education benefits through the Department.

(Sec. 211) Authorizes the Secretary to require that veterans' education benefits be paid through electronic funds transfer.