Congressman Adam Gray (D-Merced) on June 9 introduced the Stop Troubling Retroactive Invoices for Veteran Expenses (STRIVE) Act of 2025 to limit copay costs for veterans seeking care at VA facilities. Under current law, veterans must navigate a series of bureaucratic hurdles to obtain waivers for copay debts accrued as a result of errors internal to the VA. The STRIVE Act would allow the VA to grant waivers to large groups of veterans who may be saddled with copay debt through no fault of their own.

“Our veterans deserve the highest quality care with no strings attached,” said Congressman Gray. “This bill will free veterans in the Valley and across the country from debt while slashing red tape to make it easier for them to access the care they need. Our nation has a responsibility to eliminate the barriers that stand in between veterans and their care. I’m proud to introduce this bill to bring us closer to that goal.”

Gray represents California’s 13th Congressional District, spanning the San Joaquin Valley.

Specifically, the STRIVE Act would prevent the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs from collecting copays from veterans (“first party copays”) in instances where the collection delay is due to a fault of the Department (such as a pause in collections, IT outage or a VA employee administrative error). This would apply to copays that are billed for care that is over two years old OR exceed $2,000.

“Veterans shouldn’t be saddled with surprise medical debts due to VA’s administrative errors or technical failures,” said Congressman Mark Takano, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “The STRIVE Act is about righting a wrong – and ensuring that if the system breaks down, the burden doesn’t fall on those who have already sacrificed for our country. I’m proud to join Representative Gray in this effort to prevent unnecessary financial strain for veterans.”