A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that women veterans may schedule appointments for women's specialty care under the laws administered by the Secretary without requiring a referral, and for other purposes.

Senate Bill

S. 3999

119th Congress

A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that women veterans may schedule appointments for women's specialty care under the laws administered by the Secretary without requiring a referral, and for other purposes.

In Committee

Introduced:Mar 5, 2026

Primary Sponsor

Marsha Blackburn

R - TN

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Summary

This bill would allow women veterans to schedule appointments for specialty women's health care directly through the VA system without first needing a referral from a primary care doctor. The change aims to reduce barriers and waiting times that women veterans currently face when seeking gynecological care, mammograms, and other women's health services.

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Introduced3/5/2026

StatusRead twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

ChamberSenate

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Vote Prediction

A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that women veterans may schedule appointments for women's specialty care under the laws administered by the Secretary without requiring a referral, and for other purposes.

This bill would allow women veterans to schedule appointments for specialty women's health care directly through the VA system without first needing a referral from a primary care doctor. The change aims to reduce barriers and waiting times that women veterans

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

0%

0 predictions

This bill would allow women veterans to schedule appointments for specialty women's health care directly through the VA system without first needing a referral from a primary care doctor. The change aims to reduce barriers and waiting times that women veterans currently face when seeking gynecological care, mammograms, and other women's health services.

Bill Number: 3999
Introduced: 3/5/2026
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that women veterans may schedule appointments for women's specialty care under the laws administered by the Secretary without requiring a referral, and for other purposes.
Bill Number: 3999
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced: 3/5/2026
Summary: This bill would allow women veterans to schedule appointments for specialty women's health care directly through the VA system without first needing a referral from a primary care doctor. The change aims to reduce barriers and waiting times that women veterans currently face when seeking gynecologic

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would allow women veterans to schedule appointments for specialty women's health care directly through the VA system without first needing a referral from a primary care doctor. The change aims to reduce barriers and waiting times that women veterans currently face when seeking gynecological care, mammograms, and other women's health services.

Last updated: 3/7/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Eliminates the referral requirement for women veterans seeking specialty women's health care at VA facilities
Streamlines access to services like gynecology, mammograms, and other gender-specific medical care
Addresses delays in care that currently occur when women veterans must first see a primary care provider before accessing specialty services
Could reduce appointment wait times and improve health outcomes for the approximately 2 million women veterans in the United States

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would directly benefit approximately 2 million women veterans across the United States by making it easier and faster to access essential health care services. By removing bureaucratic barriers, women veterans could schedule necessary preventive screenings and specialty care appointments more quickly, potentially leading to earlier detection of health issues and better overall health outcomes. The change would be particularly significant for women veterans in rural areas or those with limited access to VA facilities who currently face longer delays in getting referrals.

Policy Areas

No policy areas assigned yet.

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

3999, 119th Congress (2026). "A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that women veterans may schedule appointments for women's specialty care under the laws administered by the Secretary without requiring a referral, and for other purposes.". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-s-3999

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