Tillis proposes increase in time VA provides newborns with healthcare

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently introduced a bipartisan bill that would extend U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care to newborn children.

“The brave men and women who served in our military deserve the best healthcare for them and their families,” Sen. Tillis said on March 21. “This bipartisan legislation justly increases the number of days veterans receive care for their newborns so families can have adequate time to find healthcare for their children.”

The Newborn Care Improvement Act, S. 835, was sponsored on March 14 by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The bill would permit the VA to provide the newborn child of a female veteran who is receiving VA maternity care with 14 days of post-delivery care services following the child’s birth if the veteran delivered the child in a VA facility or another facility with which VA has a contract for such services, according to Sen. Tillis and the congressional record summary of the bill.

Currently, such care may not be provided for more than seven days, according to Sen. Tillis.

“Our bipartisan legislation will help provide men and women in the military with the resources they need to start a happy, healthy family,” Sen. Klobuchar said.

Sens. Tillis and Klobuchar originally introduced the same-named S. 970 during the 115th Congress as the U.S. Senate version of H.R. 907, which gained 26 cosponsors. However, both bills stalled in committee.  

The newly reintroduced S. 835 is now under consideration by members of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.