EVEST Act

This Act may be cited as the “Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act” or the “EVEST Act”.

(a) In general.— Section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(d)

(1) The Secretary shall enroll each veteran described in subsection (a) in the patient enrollment system under this section not later than 60 days after receiving the information described in paragraph (2) regarding the veteran.

(2) The information described in this paragraph is the information—

(A) regarding a veteran that the Secretary determines is necessary to so enroll a veteran; and

(B) transmitted to the Secretary under section 1142(e) of title 10.

(3) Not later than 60 days after enrolling a veteran under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide to the veteran—

(A) notice of such enrollment;

(B) instructions regarding how the veteran may opt out of such enrollment;

(C) instructions regarding how the veteran may elect to enroll at a later date.

(4) In carrying out paragraph (3), the Secretary shall—

(A) provide a notice or instructions in the form of a physical copy delivered by mail and, to the extent practical, in the form of an electronic copy delivered by electronic mail; and

(B) consider using, to the extent practical, mass texting capabilities through mobile telephones.”.

(b) Applicability.— Subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply to a veteran—

(1) who is discharged or separated from the Armed Forces on or after the date that is 90 days before the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(2) with respect to whom the Secretary receives the information described in paragraph (2) of such subsection on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c) Electronic certificates of eligibility.— Not later than August 1, 2026, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that any veteran who is eligible for automatic enrollment in the patient enrollment system under subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), is able to access—

(1) an electronic version of the veteran’s certificate of eligibility for such enrollment; and

(2) an electronic mechanism by which the veteran may opt out of such enrollment.

(d) Report on automatic enrollment.—

(1) In general.— Not later than one year after the first veteran is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs under subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the enrollment process under such subsection. Such report shall include each of the following:

(A) A discussion of any anticipated challenges that occurred in implementing such subsection, the strategies used to address such challenges, and the effectiveness of such strategies.

(B) A discussion of any unanticipated challenges that occurred in implementing such subsection, the strategies used to address such challenges, and the effectiveness of such strategies.

(C) Any additional information the Secretary determines appropriate, including information that may be useful to other Federal departments and agencies considering the implementation of similar automatic enrollment programs.

(2) Form of report.— The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the results of a study to determine the best methods for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide notice under paragraph (3) of subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 2. In making such determination, the Comptroller General shall consider the needs of a veteran based on—

(1) age;

(2) residence in an urban area; and

(3) residence in an rural area.