EVEST Act

The EVEST Act (Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition Act) would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to automatically enroll eligible veterans into its patient enrollment system within 60 days of receiving the necessary discharge and eligibility information from the Department of Defense. After enrollment, the VA must send the veteran notice with clear instructions on how to opt out or later enroll. Notices should be provided primarily by mail, with electronic copies where practical, and there is a goal to use mass texting where feasible. The automatic enrollment would apply to veterans discharged after a date 90 days before the bill’s enactment (and for whom the VA receives the required information after enactment). By August 1, 2026, the VA must make an electronic version of the veteran’s certificate of eligibility and an electronic opt-out mechanism available. The act also imposes reporting requirements: within a year of the first automatic enrollment, the VA must report to Congress on the enrollment process and challenges; and the Comptroller General (GAO) must study and report within 180 days on the best methods for notifying veterans, considering age and urban/rural residence.