H.R. 4886 — Larry Barrett Veterans’ Memory Care Act of 2025

This section amends the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP)—which furnishes hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to covered veterans (i.e., VA-enrolled veterans or others eligible under 38 U.S.C. 1705(c)(2)) through non-VA providers such as Medicare-participating providers—by adding to the conditions requiring such care through non-VA providers. Specifically, during the three-year period beginning on the date of enactment, it requires consideration of (1) for covered veterans seeking extended care services, their preference for where, when, and how to receive such services and whether they require a caregiver or attendant; and (2) continuity of care. Veterans receiving extended care services pursuant to these new conditions may continue until the end of the episode of care notwithstanding the three-year sunset.

This section establishes an expedited approval process for Veterans Care Agreement requests by covered individuals who express a preference for an extended care service from an eligible entity or provider not party to such an agreement or specified in 38 U.S.C. §1703(c) and who reside more than one hour from any §1703(c) provider qualified to furnish the service. (Veterans Care Agreements enable the Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish hospital care, medical services, or extended care services through eligible providers when not feasibly available from VA facilities or other contracts.) For such requests, the Secretary must approve the agreement—including the certification under subsection (c) and requirements under subsection (e)—within 30 days regardless of whether the provider meets those standards and must provide interim in-home care services under 38 U.S.C. §1720L from the request date until approval.