Plain English summary not yet available
The full original text is available below. Check back soon as we process this bill.
I
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 8412
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish goals for the timely
delivery of medical care and appointments, to make publicly available
certain information regarding wait times under the community care pro-
gram of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020
Ms. BROWNLEY of California introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish goals
for the timely delivery of medical care and appointments,
to make publicly available certain information regarding
wait times under the community care program of the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
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 Community Care
4
Wait Time Transparency Act of 2020’’.
5
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:53 Oct 23, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8412.IH
H8412
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
2
•HR 8412 IH
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GOAL FOR
1
TIMELY DELIVERY OF APPOINTMENTS.
2
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a
3
goal for the maximum number of calendar days between
4
the date on which a veteran requests an appointment for
5
medical care and the date on which such appointment oc-
6
curs. Such goal shall be the equivalent of the wait time
7
access standard in effect under section 1703B of title 38,
8
United States Code, and shall apply—
9
(1) to medical care furnished by Department of
10
Veterans Affairs providers and medical care fur-
11
nished by the Department of Veterans Affairs
12
through a non-Department provider; and
13
(2) with respect to veterans who are considered
14
new patients and veterans who are considered re-
15
turning patients.
16
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TRANS-
17
PARENCY REGARDING WAIT TIMES UNDER
18
COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM.
19
(a) PUBLICATION OF DATA.—Not later than 90 days
20
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
21
of Veterans Affairs shall make publicly available on an ap-
22
propriate website of the Department of Veterans Affairs
23
the following information:
24
(1) The average wait times for new and return-
25
ing patients seeking care under the community care
26
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:53 Oct 23, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8412.IH
H8412
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
3
•HR 8412 IH
program of the Department, determined using the
1
same metrics used to determine the published aver-
2
age wait times for care furnished directly by Depart-
3
ment medical facilities.
4
(2) The percentage of appointments for care
5
under the community care program that occur with-
6
in the number of days specified for the wait time ac-
7
cess standard applicable to Department of Veterans
8
Affairs providers, as in effect under section 1703B
9
of title 38, United States Code.
10
(b) PRESENTATION OF DATA.—Data made available
11
under subsection (a) shall—
12
(1) be presented in a searchable format, by zip
13
code and by medical specialty; and
14
(2) be presented alongside comparable data for
15
all Department medical centers and all medical spe-
16
cialties.
17
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:53 Oct 23, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H8412.IH
H8412
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS