What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to find Veterans Affairs facilities where installing on-site regulated medical waste treatment systems (equipment that processes medical waste at the facility rather than sending it off-site) could save money over a five-year period. The Secretary must then install and operate these systems at the identified facilities.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Department of Veterans Affairs facilities are directly impacted by this bill.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must identify which Department facilities could save money by using on-site regulated medical waste treatment systems over a five-year period (Sec. 2(a))
- The Secretary must create a uniform cost analysis model that compares the expense of treating medical waste at outside locations to treating it on-site, with equipment costs spread over ten years (Sec. 2(b))
- The Secretary must secure, install and operate on-site regulated medical waste treatment systems at each identified Department facility (Sec. 2(c))
- Regulated medical waste is defined according to federal transportation regulations, or by state law if the state definition is broader (Sec. 2(d))
What Changes
Department of Veterans Affairs facilities identified as cost-saving candidates will have on-site medical waste treatment systems installed and operated instead of using off-site contractors to handle their regulated medical waste.
Important Definitions
Regulated medical waste means medical waste and infectious substances as defined in federal transportation regulations, or under state law if the state law provides a broader definition.
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
IIB
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 753
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 9, 2023
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use on-site
regulated medical waste treatment systems at certain
Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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HR 753 RFS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Vet-
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erans Affairs Creation of On-Site Treatment Systems Af-
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fording Veterans Improvements and Numerous General
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Safety Enhancements Act’’ or the ‘‘VA COST SAVINGS
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Enhancements Act’’.
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SEC. 2. USE OF ON-SITE REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE
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TREATMENT SYSTEMS AT DEPARTMENT OF
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VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES.
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(a) IDENTIFICATION OF FACILITIES.—The Secretary
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of Veterans Affairs shall identify Department of Veterans
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Affairs facilities that would benefit from cost savings asso-
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ciated with the use of an on-site regulated medical waste
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treatment system over a five-year period.
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(b) REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE COST ANALYSIS
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MODEL.—For purposes of carrying out subsection (a), the
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Secretary shall develop a uniform regulated medical waste
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cost analysis model to be used to determine the cost sav-
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ings associated with the use of an on-site regulated med-
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ical waste treatment system at Department facilities. Such
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model shall be designed to calculate savings based on—
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(1) the cost of treating regulated medical waste
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at an off-site location under a contract with a non-
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Department entity; compared to
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(2) the cost of treating regulated medical waste
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on-site, based on the equipment specification of
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HR 753 RFS
treatment system manufacturers, with capital costs
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amortized over a ten-year period.
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(c) INSTALLATION.—At each Department facility
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identified under subsection (a), the Secretary shall secure,
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install, and operate an on-site regulated medical waste
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treatment system.
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(d) REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE DEFINED.—In
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this section, the term ‘‘regulated medical waste’’ has the
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meaning given such term under section 173.134(a)(5) of
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title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, concerning regu-
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lated medical waste and infectious substances, or any suc-
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cessor regulation, except that, in the case of an applicable
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State law that is more expansive, the definition in the
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State law shall apply.
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SEC. 3. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.
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No additional funds are authorized to be appro-
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priated to carry out the requirements of this Act.
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Passed the House of Representatives March 8,
2023.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.
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