# What the Veterans SPORT Act Does

The Veterans SPORT Act expands what prosthetic devices the Department of Veterans Affairs will provide to eligible veterans with limb loss. Right now, the VA covers prosthetics and artificial limbs for basic daily activities, but this bill adds specialized prosthetics designed specifically for sports and recreation. So if a veteran wants to run a marathon, play basketball, go rock climbing, or participate in other recreational activities, the VA would now cover the cost of prosthetics specially designed for those purposes instead of making veterans pay out of pocket.

This matters because sport-specific prosthetics are often expensive and very different from everyday prosthetics. A running blade, for example, is engineered differently than a prosthetic leg someone uses to walk to the grocery store. Without this coverage, many veterans couldn't afford to participate in sports or recreational activities they enjoy, even though staying active is important for both physical and mental health. The bill recognizes that veterans shouldn't have to choose between their disability benefits and an active lifestyle.

The change is relatively straightforward—it modifies existing VA law to explicitly include these adaptive devices in the medical services the VA must provide. This means eligible veterans would have access to multiple prosthetics tailored to different activities, all covered by their VA benefits. It's a practical way to help veterans return to the activities that matter to them and maintain their quality of life after service-related injuries.

Veterans SPORT Act

Miller-Meeks, Mariannette

Veterans Supporting Prosthetics Opportunities and Recreational Therapy Act or the Veterans SPORT ActThis bill includes adaptive prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational activities within the definition of medical services under the laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Under the bill, these artificial limbs must be furnished as medical services to eligible veterans.