What This Bill Does
This bill requires directors of Veterans Affairs medical centers to submit annual and quarterly fact sheets to the VA Secretary and Congress with information about their facilities. The bill also requires the VA to schedule veterans' medical appointments during their initial phone call and creates new rules for when VA medical center directors are temporarily reassigned to other positions.
##
Who It Affects
- Directors of Veterans Affairs medical centers
- Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare
- The VA Secretary
- Members of Congress on Veterans' Affairs committees
- The general public (fact sheets will be available publicly)
##
Key Provisions
- Medical center directors must submit an annual fact sheet containing veteran treatment statistics, patient satisfaction scores, facility improvements, specialized services, and unresolved facility problems (Sec. 2(a)(1))
- Medical center directors must submit quarterly fact sheets showing average wait times for veteran appointments (Sec. 2(a)(2))
- Both annual and quarterly fact sheets must be posted in physical form at medical centers and online on facility websites (Sec. 2(b))
- When a VA medical center director is temporarily reassigned to another position, the VA must appoint an acting director within 120 days and provide Congress with status updates every 30 days (Sec. 4(b) and (c))
- A director temporarily reassigned must either return to their position or be permanently reassigned within 180 days, unless the VA Secretary gets a waiver (which can extend the time by successive 90-day periods, up to 540 days total) (Sec. 4(d))
- When a veteran calls to request a medical appointment, scheduling must happen during that same phone call, regardless of when the appointment will occur (Sec. 3(a))
##
What Changes
The bill adds new reporting requirements for VA medical centers and creates a new legal requirement that appointment scheduling happens immediately during phone calls with veterans. It also creates notification and oversight requirements for Congress when medical center directors are reassigned to other positions within the VA.
##
Important Definitions
- **Covered veteran:** A veteran enrolled in the VA's patient enrollment system (Sec. 3(b))
- **Appropriate Members of Congress:** The U.S. Senators from the state where a medical facility is located, plus the House member representing that facility's district (Sec. 2(e)(1))
- **State:** Includes all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and any U.S. territory or possession (Sec. 2(e)(2))
##
Effective Date
The fact sheet requirements begin during the first fiscal year that starts 180 days after the bill becomes law (Sec. 2(c)). The phone appointment scheduling requirement applies to requests made 180 days after the bill becomes law (Sec. 3(c)).
IB
Union Calendar No. 796
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 1089
[Report No. 118–947]
To require directors of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs
to submit annual fact sheets to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on
the status of such facilities, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 17, 2023
Mrs. LESKO (for herself and Ms. LEE of Nevada) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
DECEMBER 24, 2024
Additional sponsors: Mr. KUSTOFF, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr.
EZELL, and Ms. SPANBERGER
DECEMBER 24, 2024
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 17, 2023]
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2
•HR 1089 RH
A BILL
To require directors of medical centers of the Department
of Veterans Affairs to submit annual fact sheets to the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the status of such facili-
ties, and for other purposes.
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3
•HR 1089 RH
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Medical Center Fa-
4
cility Transparency Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. INFORMATION ON MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE DE-
6
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
7
(a) FACT SHEETS.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
8
shall ensure that each director of a medical center of the
9
Department of Veterans Affairs submits to the Secretary,
10
the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
11
resentatives and the Senate, and the appropriate Members
12
of Congress the following:
13
(1) An annual concise, easy-to-read fact sheet
14
containing, with respect to the year covered by the
15
fact sheet each of the following:
16
(A) Statistics regarding—
17
(i) the number of veterans who were
18
treated at a medical facility of the Depart-
19
ment under the jurisdiction of the director;
20
(ii) the number of appointments con-
21
ducted by each such facility;
22
(iii) the most common illnesses or con-
23
ditions for which treatment was furnished;
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4
•HR 1089 RH
(iv) the satisfaction of veterans who
1
were treated at each such facility;
2
(v) how each such facility compares
3
with other facilities with respect to the sat-
4
isfaction of veterans who were treated at the
5
facilities; and
6
(vi) other matters the director deter-
7
mines appropriate.
8
(B) A description of any successes or
9
achievements experienced by such facilities, in-
10
cluding—
11
(i) actions taken to improve such fa-
12
cilities;
13
(ii) actions taken to improve the access
14
to and quality of the care provided at such
15
facilities; and
16
(iii) any other accomplishments deter-
17
mined appropriate by the director.
18
(C) A description of special areas of empha-
19
sis or specialization by such facilities, such as ef-
20
forts aimed at meeting the needs of women vet-
21
erans, suicide prevention and other mental
22
health initiatives, opioid abuse prevention and
23
pain management, or special efforts on veteran
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5
•HR 1089 RH
homelessness, or other matters as the director de-
1
termines appropriate.
2
(D) A description of matters concerning
3
such facilities that have previously been identi-
4
fied as deficient and needing remediation that
5
are still in need of such remediation.
6
(2) A quarterly fact sheet containing, with re-
7
spect to the quarter covered by the fact sheet, the aver-
8
age wait time for veterans to receive treatment at the
9
medical facility of the Department under the jurisdic-
10
tion of the director.
11
(b) AVAILABILITY.—Each fact sheet under subsection
12
(a) shall be made publicly available—
13
(1) in a physical form at the relevant medical
14
facility of the Department in a conspicuous location;
15
and
16
(2) in an electronic form on the internet website
17
of the facility.
18
(c) TIMING OF FACT SHEETS.—The fact sheets under
19
subsection (a) shall be submitted during the first fiscal year
20
beginning after the date that is 180 days after the date of
21
the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than—
22
(1) once each fiscal year thereafter with respect
23
to the annual fact sheet under paragraph (1) of such
24
subsection; and
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
6
•HR 1089 RH
(2) once each fiscal quarter thereafter with re-
1
spect to the quarterly fact sheet under paragraph (2)
2
of such subsection.
3
(d) STANDARDIZED FORMAT.—The Secretary shall es-
4
tablish a standard format for the fact sheets under sub-
5
section (a) to ensure that each director of a medical center
6
of the Department carries out such subsection in a con-
7
sistent manner.
8
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
9
(1) The term ‘‘appropriate Members of Congress’’
10
means, with respect to a medical facility of the De-
11
partment of Veterans Affairs about which a fact sheet
12
is submitted under subsection (a), the Senators rep-
13
resenting the State, and the Member, Delegate, or
14
Resident Commissioner of the House of Representa-
15
tives representing the district, that includes the facil-
16
ity.
17
(2) The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the several
18
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth
19
of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the
20
United States.
21
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
7
•HR 1089 RH
SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT FOR TIMELY SCHEDULING OF AP-
1
POINTMENTS AT MEDICAL FACILITIES OF DE-
2
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
3
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Chapter 17 of title 38, United
4
States Code, is amended—
5
(1) by redesignating section 1706A as section
6
1706B; and
7
(2) by inserting after section 1706 the following
8
new section:
9
‘‘§ 1706A. Management of health care: timely sched-
10
uling of appointments at Department fa-
11
cilities
12
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT FOR SCHEDULING.—In managing
13
the provision of hospital care and medical services at med-
14
ical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs under
15
this chapter, the Secretary shall ensure that whenever a cov-
16
ered veteran contacts the Department by telephone to re-
17
quest the scheduling of an appointment for care or services
18
for the covered veteran at such a facility, the scheduling
19
for the appointment occurs during that telephone call (re-
20
gardless of the prospective date of the appointment being
21
scheduled).
22
‘‘(b) COVERED VETERAN DEFINED.—In this section,
23
the term ‘covered veteran’ means a veteran who is enrolled
24
in the system of patient enrollment of the Department under
25
section 1705(a) of this title.’’.
26
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
8
•HR 1089 RH
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at
1
the beginning of such chapter is amended by striking the
2
item relating to section 1706A and inserting the following
3
new items:
4
‘‘1706A. Management of health care: timely scheduling of appointments at Depart-
ment facilities.
‘‘1706B. Remediation of medical service lines.’’.
(c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub-
5
section (a) shall apply with respect to requests for appoint-
6
ment scheduling occurring on or after the date that is 180
7
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
8
SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON DETAIL OF DIRECTORS OF MEDICAL
9
CENTERS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
10
FAIRS TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
11
(a) NOTIFICATION.—
12
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after
13
detailing a director of a medical center of the Depart-
14
ment of Veterans Affairs to a different position within
15
the Department, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
16
shall notify the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the
17
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the
18
House of Representatives of such detail.
19
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The notifica-
20
tion required by paragraph (1) shall include, with re-
21
spect to a director of a medical center who is detailed
22
to a different position within the Department, the fol-
23
lowing information:
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
9
•HR 1089 RH
(A) The location at which the director is de-
1
tailed.
2
(B) The position title of the detail.
3
(C) The estimated time the director is ex-
4
pected to be absent from their duties at the med-
5
ical center.
6
(D) Such other information as the Secretary
7
may determine appropriate.
8
(b) APPOINTMENT OF ACTING DIRECTOR.—Not later
9
than 120 days after detailing a director of a medical center
10
of the Department to a different position within the Depart-
11
ment, the Secretary shall appoint an individual as acting
12
director of such medical center with all of the authority and
13
responsibilities of the detailed director.
14
(c) UPDATE ON DETAIL.—Not later than 120 days
15
after detailing a director of a medical center of the Depart-
16
ment to a different position within the Department, and
17
not less frequently than every 30 days thereafter while the
18
detail is in effect or while the director position at the med-
19
ical center is vacant, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
20
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee
21
on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives an up-
22
date regarding the status of the detail.
23
(d) RETURN TO POSITION OR REASSIGNMENT.—
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
10
•HR 1089 RH
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
1
graph (2), not later than 180 days after detailing a
2
director of a medical center of the Department to a
3
different position within the Department, for a reason
4
other than an ongoing investigation or administrative
5
action with respect to the director, the Secretary
6
shall—
7
(A) return the individual to the position as
8
director of the medical center; or
9
(B) reassign the individual from the posi-
10
tion as director of the medical center and begin
11
the process of hiring a new director for such po-
12
sition.
13
(2) WAIVER.—
14
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may
15
waive the requirement under paragraph (1) with
16
respect to an individual for successive 90-day in-
17
crements for a total period of not more than 540
18
days from the original date the individual was
19
detailed away from their position as director of
20
a medical center.
21
(B) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 30 days
22
after exercising a waiver under subparagraph
23
(A), the Secretary shall notify Congress of the
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
11
•HR 1089 RH
waiver and provide to Congress information as
1
to why the waiver is necessary.
2
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
Union Calendar No. 796
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 1089
[Report No. 118–947]
A BILL
To require directors of medical centers of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs to submit annual
fact sheets to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
on the status of such facilities, and for other pur-
poses.
DECEMBER 24, 2024
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,
and ordered to be printed
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:50 Dec 26, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H1089.RH
H1089
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB