Senator Martin Heinrich and Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez simultaneously introduced Bills to reverse the Veterans Administration’s decision to cut Home Health Care reimbursement rates in New Mexico and some counties in Texas by 20%.  Senate Bill 5027 (IS) and House Bill 0752 (IS) are both titled “Protecting Home-Based Care for Rural Veterans Act of 2026.  

In the House, where the bill has been referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs, co-sponsors include Representatives Gabe Vasquez and Melanie Stansbury, and seven Texas Democrats.

Both bills require the Secretary for Veterans Affairs to reinstate the Home-Health Care reimbursement rates that were in place prior to the Dec 31, 2025, regulation change and prohibit the VA from reducing those rates in the future.  They also require the VA to determine whether the number of providers furnishing home health care to Veterans is adequate to meet their needs, to indicate where there are not enough providers, and to inform Congress of how any shortfalls in capacity will be addressed. 

To prevent waste and fraud in the program, the Bills require the VA to report on the role of contractors or third-party administrators in Home Health Care and to inform Congress and the public of how new rates are established. 

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported on this proposed legislation HERE