EXPANSION OF PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS OF COMBAT SERVICE.

SEC. 111. EXPANSION OF PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS OF COMBAT SERVICE. (a) [38 U.S.C. 1710] Expanded Period.—Section 1710(e)(3) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A)— (A) by striking “January 27, 2003” and inserting “September 11, 2001”; and (B) by striking “five-year period” and inserting “10-year period”; (2) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows: “(B) With respect to a veteran described in paragraph (1)(D) who was discharged or released from the active military, naval, air, or space service after September 11, 2001, and before October 1, 2013, but did not enroll to receive such hospital care, medical services, or nursing home care under such paragraph pursuant to subparagraph (A) before October 1, 2022, the one-year period beginning on October 1, 2022.” ; and (3) by striking subparagraph (C). (b) [38 U.S.C. 1710] Clarification of Coverage.—Section 1710(e)(1)(D) is amended by inserting after “Persian Gulf War” the following: “(including any veteran who, in connection with service during such period, received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Service Specific Expeditionary Medal, Combat Era Specific Expeditionary Medal, Campaign Specific Medal, or any other combat theater award established by a Federal statute or an Executive order)”. (c) Outreach Plan.—Not later than December 1, 2022, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan to conduct outreach to veterans described in subparagraph (B) of section 1710(e)(3) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a)(2), to notify such veterans of their eligibility for hospital care, medical services, or nursing home care pursuant to such subparagraph. (d) Report on Enrollments.—Not later than January 30, 2024, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report identifying, with respect to the one-year period beginning on October 1, 2022, the number of veterans described in section 1710(e)(3)(B) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a)(2), who, during such period, enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and operated under section 1705(a) of such title. (e) [38 U.S.C. 1710 note] Effective Date.—This section and the amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2022.