Congressman Clay Higgins Thursday announced that his bill H.R. 7158, the Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

In a press release, Higgin’s office says the bill provides America’s Veterans with additional flexibility in exercising their health benefits, authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover the cost of medical foster homes for

Veterans who are otherwise eligible for nursing home care. These changes ensure that Veterans can receive long-term care in a more independent, non-institutionalized setting while also maintaining a higher quality of life.

Higgins says the VA does not currently cover the cost of medical foster homes. Instead, veterans must pay for medical foster home services out of pocket or through private insurance. Costs associated with medical foster home services range between $1,500 – $3,000 a month, significantly lower than the more than $7,000 a month that the VA would otherwise pay at a traditional nursing home.

The Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act is also supported by the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and the Wounded Warrior Project.