This bill addresses Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and care for covered children. Under the bill, a covered child is an individual, regardless of age or marital status, who is the natural child of a Vietnam veteran or a veteran of specified service in Korea or Thailand who was conceived after the date on which the veteran entered service in Vietnam, Korea, or Thailand.
The bill requires the VA to establish an advisory council on health care and benefits for covered children. Additionally, the VA must establish care and coordination teams for covered children. At least every 180 days, the teams must conduct outreach to ensure the continued care of the children and assist with any necessary changes in care.
The VA must report to Congress a list of conditions that will trigger outreach to covered children, and contact such children as soon as practicable after the identification of a condition.
The bill requires the VA to provide a covered child with health care and benefits for the duration of the child's life, regardless of the death of a parent preceding the death of the child.
The Veterans Benefits Administration and the Veterans Health Administration must enter into a memorandum of understanding to better assist covered children and establish conditions to be included in the report required by this bill.