Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act

Key Points

• This bill requires VA doctors or nurse practitioners to sign a veteran's death certificate within 48 hours of learning they passed away from natural causes.
• Currently, some families have waited up to eight weeks for these papers to be signed, which prevents them from holding funerals or burying their loved ones on time.
• Delays in signing death certificates also stop families from getting survivor benefits, like monthly payments or insurance, that they may need to pay for living expenses.
• If a VA doctor cannot sign the certificate within the two-day window, the bill allows a local coroner or medical examiner to step in and finish the paperwork.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs would have to send a report to Congress every year showing how often they meet this 48-hour deadline and explaining the reasons for any delays.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.