Military members may be eligible to pre-enroll in VA coverage, federal bill proposes

U.S. Rep. Young Kim of California is introducing legislation with the goal of making sure members of the military do not have a lapse in public health insurance coverage.

House Resolution 683 would allow people to "pre-enroll" in benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs to get health coverage along with other perks.

Specifically, the Republican's legislation would establish a "pilot program" to allow those serving the country 180 days ahead of their "separation" to apply for VA health coverage, as well as prompt the department to put together a yearly report on it, according to a news release.

"As the Representative to nearly 80,000 veterans, I often hear about the difficulties they face as they transition back into civilian life," Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said in a statement.

"We must take every action to make this transition as smooth as possible and ensure that our veterans receive the health care and benefits their service earned. However, under current law, when military members leave their service, they are not eligible to receive certain veterans benefits until they receive their official separation documents, which can result in months-long gaps in coverage," the Republican continued.

The legislation has bipartisan support with two Democrats co-sponsoring the bill – Hawaii Rep. Jill Tokuda and California Reps. Gil Cisneros and Salud Carbajal. New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler is also backing the proposal.

The bill was sent to the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Jan. 23, and if it passes both chambers of Congress, it will make its way to President Donald Trump's desk for a possible signature.

"Our service members should not have to worry about whether their families can receive VA health care as they transition to civilian life. The Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act addresses any lapse in care and gives our armed forces the certainty they deserve," Kim said in a statement. "As a wife and sister to U.S. Army veterans, supporting those who served in our nation's uniform and their families is personal to me."

As of 2022, there are over 2 million in the U.S. military, according to the Department of Defense.