Copay Fairness for Veterans Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Tammy Duckworth
Introduced
Summary
Eliminate copayments for preventive health services and related medicines at the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill would remove VA copayments for preventive care, broaden what counts as prevention, and extend the exemption to hospital, nursing home, walk-in care, and survivors and dependents.
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- Veterans: Veterans would not be required to pay copayments for preventive health services or for medicines used as part of those services, including over-the-counter drugs when they are part of prevention.
- Survivors and dependents: Individuals covered under the VA survivors and dependents care program would also be exempt from copayments for preventive services provided under that program.
- Scope and definitions: The bill expands the definition of preventive services to include immunizations per the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, items with a U.S. Preventive Services Task Force A or B rating, and a specified list of screenings and services such as breast and cervical cancer screening, HIV testing, contraception, breastfeeding support, obesity prevention in midlife women, and well-woman visits. It adds explicit copayment protections for hospital and nursing home care and for VA walk-in care.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Broader VA preventive care coverage
This bill would broaden what counts as evidence-based preventive care for VA. It would treat items with a current USPSTF A or B rating, or those recommended by large professional organizations, as evidence-based. It would expand covered adult immunizations to those on the adult immunization schedule or recommended for the individual. The bill would also require VA preventive care to include screenings (for anxiety, breast and cervical cancer, HIV, pregnancy-related diabetes, and urinary incontinence), counseling for violence and STIs, breastfeeding help, contraception and related services, obesity prevention for midlife women, and well-woman visits. These rules would take effect 180 days after enactment.
No copays for VA preventive care
This bill would stop VA copayments for preventive health services in VA hospitals and nursing homes. It would also stop copays for preventive services at VA walk-in care and for survivors and dependents covered under VA care. The bill would add preventive medications, including over-the-counter medicines that are part of prevention, to VA pharmacy coverage without copays. These changes would take effect 180 days after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Tammy Duckworth
IL • D
Cosponsors
Susan Collins
ME • R
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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