# 119-s-2145: GUARD Veterans’ Health Care Act

119-s-2145, GUARD Veterans’ Health Care Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2145
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-2145
- Congress: 119
- Title: GUARD Veterans’ Health Care Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-06-23
- Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Would create a new framework that requires VA cost recovery from Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.** It also expands VA authority to collect reasonable charges from third parties for non-service-connected care and adds deadlines, penalties, and enforcement tools. - Veterans and Medicare enrollees: Veterans who receive care covered by a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan would trigger plan reimbursements to the VA when those items or services are covered. The MA/Part D reimbursement rule applies to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. - Medicare Advantage and Part D plans: MA organizations and prescription drug plan sponsors would be required to reimburse the VA under a new Section 1729C, and recovered amounts would be deposited into the VA Medical Care Collections Fund. - Insurers and other third parties: The bill clarifies VA’s right to recover across tort and insurance claims, creates a 45-day payment window, allows interest on late payments, and authorizes civil penalties that can reach up to $50,000 per claim and treble damages for nonpayment.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-06-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] (R-LA), 2025-06-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Stronger VA recovery and penalties: cost, medium. If enacted, the VA would get stronger tools to recover payments from third parties. Third parties must tell VA within 30 days if they know a person got VA care. Settlement money could not be paid out until VA is satisfied. Third parties would have 45 days to pay a clean claim, and interest would st…
- Medicare Advantage and Part D pay VA: mixed, low. If enacted, Medicare Advantage plans and Part D sponsors would have to reimburse VA for covered items and drugs the VA gives to their enrollees. This would apply to plan years beginning January 1, 2026. Plans must reimburse even if they normally require extra paperwork. Amounts recovered would go t…

## Related bills

- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-2145 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2145)

## Related
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2819)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2145 (as of 2026-04-21).