HR 3723 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

H. R. 3723CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with health care providers to improve access to health care for veterans who have difficulty receiving treatment at a health care facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

December 16, 2011CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. SCHILLING (for himself, Mr. HULTGREN, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. SCHOCK, and Mr. WALSH of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ AffairsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with health care providers to improve access to health care for veterans who have difficulty receiving treatment at a health care facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the ‘Enhanced Veteran Healthcare Experience Act of 2011’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the current health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs is neither fiscally efficient nor effective in providing easily accessible treatment for all veterans;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) health care can be provided more efficiently to provide veterans with care that is available closer to where they live and to allow veterans more flexibility in choosing their own doctors; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) better health care can be provided to veterans at little-to-no increased cost to the taxpayer by replacing the fee-based care system of the Department with the veterans enhanced care program, as described under section 2, and reprogramming funds to this program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. ENHANCED CONTRACT CARE AUTHORITY FOR HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF VETERANS.

(a) In General-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) TYPE OF CARE- Subsection (a) of section 1703 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(a)(1) The Secretary shall provide an eligible veteran with covered health services that are provided by a non-Department provider whom the Secretary enters into a contract with under this section if the Secretary determines that facilities of the Department are not capable of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) economically furnishing covered health services to such veteran because of geographical inaccessibility; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) furnishing covered health services to such veteran because such facilities lack the required personnel, resources, or ability.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) In this subsection:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) The term ‘covered health services’ means, with respect to an eligible veteran, any hospital care, medical service, rehabilitative service, or preventative health service that is authorized to be provided by the Secretary to the veteran under this chapter or any other provision of law.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) The term ‘eligible veteran’ means a veteran enrolled in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of this title who elects to receive care under this section.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) QUALIFIED PROVIDERS; QUALITY OF CARE- Such section is amended by adding at the end the following new subsections:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) The Secretary may enter into a contract with a non-Department provider under this section if such provider--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) demonstrates the ability to provide non-Department health care services to veterans;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) meets or exceeds internal credentialing standards of the Department and standards of the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) has care coordinators who help veterans make, confirm, and keep medical appointments;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) has--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) a system that allows veterans to file complaints; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) a demonstrated ability to respond to potential quality indicators and patient safety events; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) has the ability to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) process claims from others in the network of the provider;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) bill a third party (as defined in section 1725(f)(2) of this title) for care provided under this section, as appropriate; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) transmit directly to the Secretary any amounts received pursuant to subparagraph (B).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall ensure the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) With respect to each medical center of the Department, the Secretary is consistent in determining the eligibility of veterans under subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) The Secretary includes care coordinators of a non-Department provider described in subsection (e)(3) in initiatives of the Department to provide patient-centered care and uses such coordinators when the Secretary is unable to assign a veteran a case manager from the Department.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) The Department and a non-Department provider under this section exchange clinical information to improve both clinical decision-making and the care a veteran receives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) Both non-Department facilities under this section and Department facilities meet performance metrics regarding--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the quality of health care provided; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) the satisfaction of veterans.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) A non-Department facility under this section or employee of the Department who exceeds performance metrics under paragraph (4) are eligible for incentive or bonus payments.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(g)(1) Not later than October 31 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee of Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on care provided under this section, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the cost to the Department;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) the number of veterans receiving care under this section;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) the quality of such care and the satisfaction of such veterans; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) other matters the Secretary considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) Not later than March 1 of each odd-numbered year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee of Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the allocation of resources with respect to care provided by the Department and by non-Department facilities.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall take effect on October 1, 2012.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out section 1703 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by this section, for fiscal year 2013 $5,000,000,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink