S. 585 — Servicemember to Veteran Health Care Connection Act of 2025

This section establishes a pre-transition health care registration system under new 38 U.S.C. §1705B (effective for members of the Armed Forces anticipated to separate on or after one year after enactment), under which VA must automatically register such members not later than 180 days before their anticipated separation by entering relevant information to facilitate their future enrollment in VA's patient enrollment system (i.e., the system established under 38 U.S.C. §1705(a) that assigns veterans to priority groups for VA health care eligibility and access). The section further requires VA (1) not later than 30 days after separation (or as soon as feasible), to engage covered separating individuals—who are eligible or expected to be eligible for the patient enrollment system but not yet enrolled—to assist with enrollment and, if interested, to schedule an initial primary care or other health care appointment, using email, text, mail, and phone; (2) to conduct pre-separation outreach explaining the registration, enrollment steps, available services (including those regardless of enrollment, such as military sexual trauma counseling and Vet Center services), and access procedures, and post-enrollment outreach at least once in the first 180 days to offer appointment scheduling (potentially via the Solid Start program); and (3) in consultation with DoD, to establish and implement an automated process for the registration system not later than one year after enactment, with briefings to Congress at 180 days, one year, and two years after enactment.