Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025
Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025 expands and extends the VA’s temporary licensure authority for contract health care professionals who perform medical disability examinations. The bill broadens who counts as a “health care professional” eligible to conduct these examinations under a VA contract, so long as they hold a current, unrestricted license, are not barred in any state, and are performing authorized duties under a VA contract. It also pushes back the sunset date, now setting the expiration of this temporary authority for September 30, 2031. Additionally, the act requires a detailed House/Senate report within 15 months after enactment that analyzes the use, cost, timeliness, geographic distribution, provider types, and any errors in the use of this authority, along with a plan to correct issues. Overall, the bill aims to improve access to VA disability examinations for rural veterans by allowing a broader range of qualified, contracted health professionals to conduct these exams under temporary licensure, while increasing oversight through mandated reporting.
Key Points
- 1Expands eligible providers: The temporary licensure authority can apply to health care professionals eligible for appointment in the Veterans Health Administration under 38 U.S.C. 7402(b), who hold a current unrestricted license, are not barred in any state, and are performing authorized duties under a VA contract.
- 2Sunset extended: The sunset date for the temporary licensure authority is moved to September 30, 2031, delaying the previously set end date.
- 3Conforming change: The targeted professions list is broadened from a limited set (physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, psychologists) to the broader category “health care professionals.”
- 4Reporting requirement: Within 15 months after enactment, the VA Secretary must submit a report detailing:
- 5- the number of disability examinations conducted under this authority (and by contract/health care professional),
- 6- cost, timeliness, and legal adequacy disaggregated by provider type and contract,
- 7- geographic distribution (states, D.C., territories/possessions),
- 8- counts of each type of health care professional who performed examinations,
- 9- any examinations conducted erroneously (without contract or unauthorized to contract),
- 10- and a plan to correct identified errors.
- 11Purpose and scope: The amendments are designed to improve access for rural veterans to disability examinations by increasing the pool of qualified contract providers while ensuring accountability and oversight through reporting.