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Congress·Reported·S. 3033

Sens. Duckworth and Blackburn Push Bill to Expand Healthcare Access for Rural Veterans

A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish partnerships between medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and medical facilities in rural areas, and for other purposes.

Also known as: Improving Access to Care for Rural Veterans Act

1 day ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • The bill requires every VA medical facility to partner with a healthcare provider in a rural area, aiming to bring care closer to veterans who live far from major VA hospitals.

    From policy text

    “The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall require that each medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs enter into a partnership with a medical facility in a rural area.”
    View in full text
  • Partnerships can include telehealth, shared space and equipment, training, care coordination, and emergency services like transportation — giving the VA and local clinics flexibility in how they work together.

    From policy text

    “Each partnership entered into under paragraph (1) may include an agreement for provision of telehealth, co-location or leasing of space or equipment, training, care coordination, emergency services (including transportation), or other services as determined appropriate.”
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  • Existing VA facilities have three years to comply. If a facility can't find a rural partner, the VA Secretary can grant a five-year waiver but must notify Congress at least 48 hours before it takes effect.

    From policy text

    “The Secretary may waive the requirement under subsection (a)(1) with respect to a medical facility for a period not to exceed five years, subject to such requirements as the Secretary may establish, if the Secretary notifies Congress of the waiver not later than 48 hours before the waiver takes effect.”
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  • Every two years, the VA must report to Congress on whether these partnerships are actually helping more rural veterans get care, including enrollment numbers and accessibility compared to previous years.

    From policy text

    “the number of veterans enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, in the region in which the partnered medical facilities are located compared to the previous five-year period”
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  • The bill is bipartisan, introduced by Sens. Duckworth and Blackburn, and was reported out of committee — a sign of meaningful momentum in the legislative process.

    From policy text

    “Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs”
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VeteransHealthcare

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

3 milestones4 actions
Mar 18, 2026Senate

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Dec 10, 2025Senate

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

Oct 22, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Oct 22, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 180 days of enactment

VA must brief Congress on its implementation plan, including timeline, oversight officials, and waiver criteria

This is the first public sign of how the VA plans to roll out partnerships — Congress and the public will learn what the program will look like in practice

Within 3 years of enactment

All existing VA facilities must have a rural partnership in place or receive a waiver

Rural veterans should start seeing new care options — telehealth, local clinic access, emergency transport — through their nearest VA facility's rural partner

Within 2 years of enactment

VA submits its first biennial report to Congress on partnership performance

Congress and the public get the first hard data on whether these partnerships are actually increasing rural veteran enrollment and improving access to care

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish partnerships between medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and medical facilities in rural areas, and for other purposes.

Bill NumberS 3033
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionCommittee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.