STRIVE Act of 2025

Key Points

• The bill stops the VA from collecting medical copayments if it fails to send a bill within its own timeliness standards or within two years of the veteran receiving care. This protects veterans from surprise bills arriving long after their medical visits.
• Veterans are also protected if the VA fails to warn them that their total copayment debt has crossed $2,000. That dollar threshold will go up each year based on the Consumer Price Index to keep pace with inflation.
• The VA Secretary gains new authority to waive copayments entirely when appropriate, without requiring the veteran to file a formal request. This removes a paperwork barrier that has made it harder for veterans to get relief from medical debt.
• To offset costs, the bill extends existing limits on certain veteran pension payments by about three months, pushing the expiration date from November 30, 2031 to February 29, 2032.