The House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee on Thursday approved by voice vote six bills related to health care services administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, CQ HealthBeat reports.

One of the bills (HR 1527), sponsored by Rep. Jerry Morgan (R-Kan.), would allow “highly rural” veterans to receive health services through outside providers. The bill defines highly rural as veterans seeking primary care who live more than 60 miles from the nearest veterans’ facility; veterans seeking acute hospital care who live more than 120 miles from a facility; and those seeking tertiary care who live more than 240 miles from a facility. An amendment to the bill, which also was approved on Thursday, would establish a three-year pilot program to allow veterans enrolled in four of VA’s 21 health care networks to receive outside health services. The bill does not include funding for the pilot program.

The other five bills were improved en bloc by voice vote. The bills include a measure (HR 6439), sponsored by Rep. Phil Hare (D-Ill.), that would extend mental health benefits to family members of veterans who seek non-service related treatment (Johnson, CQ HealthBeat, 7/10). In addition, the panel approved a measure (HR 6445) sponsored by Rep. Don Cazayoux (D-La.) that would prohibit hospitals and nursing homes from requiring copayments from catastrophically disabled veterans, such as those who are paralyzed or have neurological disorders (CongressDaily, 7/10).

The bills are expected to be marked up by the full committee on July 16 (CQ HealthBeat, 7/10).

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