Veteran 4D Lung Imaging Pilot

Full Title:
AIR CARE for Vets Act of 2026

Summary#

This bill would create a VA pilot program to use four-dimensional functional lung imaging software to help identify respiratory disorders and lung disease in veterans receiving care at VA medical facilities. The VA would lease FDA‑approved software from developers for the pilot. The law would authorize $5 million per year for 2027–2031 and require a report to Congress after the pilot period.

  • Main change: Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to run a pilot using FDA‑approved 4D functional lung imaging software to evaluate lung function in veterans at VA facilities.
  • How it is done: The VA would seek lease agreements with software developers (rather than buying the software).
  • Time limits: The VA’s authority to enter lease agreements ends five years after the bill is enacted.
  • Reporting: The VA must send Congress an evaluation report no later than two years after the leasing authority ends.
  • Funding: The bill authorizes $5,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

What it means for you#

  • Veterans receiving care: This could mean access to a new imaging tool at some VA facilities that aims to detect or better evaluate lung problems. The bill does not require treatment changes or say how results would affect care pathways.
  • VA facilities and staff: Some VA hospitals or clinics may install and use leased 4D lung imaging software during the pilot. The bill does not say how many sites, which sites, or how staff will be trained.
  • Software developers: Developers of FDA‑approved 4D functional lung imaging products are eligible to lease their products to the VA and may be asked to provide software under the pilot.
  • Researchers and policymakers: The VA must produce a report evaluating the pilot after the leasing authority ends. That report could inform decisions about wider use.
  • Taxpayers: The law authorizes specific federal money to fund the pilot (see Expenses). There is no detailed public cost estimate in the bill text.

Expenses#

Estimated public cost: The bill authorizes $5,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2027–2031 (total authorized amount $25,000,000).

  • The bill itself does not provide a detailed fiscal note or cost breakdown for implementation, staffing, training, equipment integration, or ongoing operating costs.
  • It authorizes funds but does not require Congress to appropriate the money; actual spending would depend on later appropriations.
  • Additional costs the VA might face (not quantified in the bill) include staff training, integrating the software with medical records, facility upgrades for imaging if needed, and costs to evaluate the pilot and prepare the report.

If a more detailed cost estimate is needed: No publicly available information beyond the authorization amount is included in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

  • The bill appears intended to introduce advanced 4D lung imaging technology into VA care on a limited, test basis to improve identification of respiratory disorders.
  • A possible argument for the bill is that a pilot and evaluation will show whether this imaging method helps detect lung disease earlier or more accurately in veterans.
  • Leasing the software rather than purchasing it outright could let the VA try the technology without a long-term purchase commitment.
  • Requiring FDA approval for eligible products limits the pilot to devices that have met federal safety or effectiveness review.

Opponents' View#

  • One concern is that the bill gives limited detail about how the pilot will be run: it does not state how many VA sites will participate, how sites are chosen, or what clinical outcomes will be measured.
  • The bill does not specify patient consent, data‑privacy protections, or how imaging results will be integrated into existing medical records.
  • The authorized funding is specified, but the bill lacks a detailed fiscal estimate of total costs, including training, IT integration, maintenance, or facility upgrades.
  • Leasing could reduce upfront cost but might be more expensive over time than buying; the bill does not compare lease vs. buy trade-offs.
  • The VA must wait until the leasing authority ends and then has up to two years to report—meaning public evaluation results could be several years away.