Underwood-backed, Bipartisan Bill to Streamline Veteran Health Coverage Enrollment and Prevent Veteran Suicide Passes House
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) supported the bipartisan passage of the Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition (EVEST) Act (H.R. 4673), which would modify the current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) coverage system to automatically enroll eligible servicemembers into Veterans Affairs health care during the transition process after their military service. Veterans are at a higher risk for mental health challenges, including suicide, within the first few months after transitioning out of the military. The EVEST Act will expand veterans' access to high-quality care, address a gap in meeting their mental health needs, and put every veteran on a path to success after their military career. According to independent estimates, this policy will enroll 58,000 veterans in VA care in the first year alone.
"The first months after separation from the military are a critical period to ensure veterans have access to the care they need – especially to address mental health challenges and prevent suicide," said Underwood. "By automatically enrolling eligible veterans in VA health care, we will connect our veterans with the high-quality care they have earned and ensure that no veteran falls through the cracks."
The EVEST Act automatically enrolls eligible service members into VA health care during the transition process and gives service members an opt-out should they wish to not enroll. This is accomplished by the Department of Defense (DOD) providing information from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) to VA for purposes of enrollment. Veterans are provided notice within 60 days of enrollment and given instructions for how they may opt out.
###