New Veteran Bill Extends Health Coverage to 270 Days, Mandates Better Financial Counseling for Troops

The new Enhancing the Transitioning Servicemember’s Experience Act (ETS Act) is basically a massive upgrade to the military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP)—the mandatory class everyone takes before they get out. For anyone serving, or planning to get out in the next year and a half, this bill is a big deal because it mandates more time, better quality, and a longer safety net.

More Time in the Classroom, More Time on the Couch

First up, the counseling requirement is getting a major overhaul. If you’re separating but don’t have a job or school lined up, you now have to attend at least five days of preseparation counseling, up from the current requirements. If you do have a job or school set, it’s a minimum of three days. The bill also expands the window for taking this counseling from 365 days to 540 days before separation. Think of it as giving you an extra six months to start planning your exit strategy, which is huge for reducing last-minute stress.

Crucially, the financial planning portion of TAP is getting serious. It now requires at least one hour of individualized assistance on topics like debt management and investing, led by someone with significant financial experience. This isn't just a PowerPoint presentation anymore; it’s targeted advice that could help prevent a lot of common post-service financial pitfalls. For the first time, spouses can also elect to attend these sessions, recognizing that transition is a family affair.

The Health and Job Safety Net Gets Longer

One of the most immediate benefits for every service member separating is the extension of transitional health care. Right now, certain separating members get 180 days of continued health coverage. The ETS Act bumps that up to 270 days. If you’ve ever tried to navigate new health insurance plans or find a civilian doctor right after leaving the service, you know an extra three months of coverage is a massive relief—it’s nine months of breathing room instead of six (Sec. 3).

The bill also expands eligibility for federal job counseling and placement services to include all members eligible for TAP, not just veterans. This means you can tap into Department of Labor resources and job training programs while you're still in uniform, which is a smart move for maximizing your job search (Sec. 6).

Fixing the Hand-Off and Tracking the Results

One of the biggest complaints about military transition is the poor hand-off between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the VA. The ETS Act tries to fix this by mandating better coordination. When a service member leaves, the military must send their contact info and separation checklist (DD2648) to the VA. If the military flags someone as “at risk for a difficult transition,” the VA and Department of Labor (DOL) must reach out to that person within 60 days of their separation (Sec. 2).

To make sure this actually happens, the VA and DOL must report annually on how often their employees failed to make that follow-up call. This is a crucial accountability measure. Furthermore, the bill requires the DoD and VA to agree on a single, clear definition of what “at risk” actually means, which will hopefully standardize who gets that extra layer of support.

Spouses, Skillbridge, and Local Resources

Two other provisions are worth noting. First, the DoD must launch a three-year pilot program for military spouses that offers TAP-based counseling tailored to family needs, offered at least quarterly, including nights and weekends, at five bases per service branch (Sec. 2). This recognizes the unique career challenges spouses face.

Second, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is tasked with studying the popular Skillbridge program—where service members intern with civilian companies before separating—to see how it can be standardized across all military branches (Sec. 4). This could lead to a more consistent and higher-quality program for future participants.

Finally, the VA must create a new, publicly accessible website where recently separated veterans and their families can search for local programs and resources simply by entering their ZIP code (Sec. 5). This is a simple but effective fix to the common problem of knowing what benefits you qualify for but having no idea where to find them locally.