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LINC VA Act

3/13/2024, 3:26 AM

Summary of Bill S 2259

The LINC VA Act, also known as Bill 118 s 2259, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress that aims to improve the healthcare services provided to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill focuses on enhancing the coordination and integration of care for veterans by establishing a pilot program called the Local Integrated Networks of Care (LINC) program.

Under the LINC VA Act, the VA will select at least five VA medical centers to participate in the pilot program. These medical centers will work to improve the coordination of care for veterans by partnering with community providers and organizations to ensure that veterans receive timely and high-quality healthcare services.

The bill also includes provisions to enhance mental health services for veterans, including expanding access to telehealth services and increasing the availability of mental health professionals within the VA system. Additionally, the LINC VA Act aims to improve the transition of care for veterans as they move between different healthcare providers and settings. Overall, the LINC VA Act seeks to address the challenges faced by veterans in accessing and receiving healthcare services through the VA system by promoting collaboration and coordination among healthcare providers and organizations. The bill is currently under consideration in Congress and has garnered bipartisan support for its efforts to improve the healthcare services provided to veterans.

Congressional Summary of S 2259

Leveraging Integrated Networks in Communities for Veterans Act or the LINC VA Act

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a pilot program to establish community integration network infrastructure to provide services for veterans. Under the bill, community integration network infrastructure means infrastructure used to enable the coordination, alignment, and connection of specified entities for communication, service coordination, and referral management of services (e.g., transportation services). The pilot program must be conducted at not fewer than one VA facility in each Veterans Integrated Service Network (i.e., regional system of VA care).

The Government Accountability Office must evaluate and report on the overall impact of the community integration network infrastructure established under the pilot program with respect to specified factors, such as the changes in access to health care or social services among veterans.

The VA must collect, as part of routine screenings, information related to social determinants that may factor into the health of a veteran.

The VA must consider data privacy and how to prevent data blocking and promote interoperability in the implementation of this bill.

Read the Full Bill

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Current Status of Bill S 2259

Bill S 2259 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since July 12, 2023. Bill S 2259 was introduced during Congress 118 and was introduced to the Senate on July 12, 2023.  Bill S 2259's most recent activity was Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. as of July 12, 2023

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 2259

Total Number of Sponsors
1
Democrat Sponsors
0
Republican Sponsors
1
Unaffiliated Sponsors
0
Total Number of Cosponsors
2
Democrat Cosponsors
2
Republican Cosponsors
0
Unaffiliated Cosponsors
0

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 2259

Primary Policy Focus

Armed Forces and National Security

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 2259

LINC VA Act
LINC VA Act
Leveraging Integrated Networks in Communities for Veterans Act
A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to establish community integration network infrastructure for services for veterans, to require the collection from veterans of information related to social determinants of health, and for other purposes.

Comments

Sponsors and Cosponsors of S 2259

Dan Sullivan
Dan Sullivan
AlaskaRepublican
Margaret Wood Hassan
Margaret Wood Hassan
New HampshireDemocrat

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