What This Bill Does
This bill changes how the Department of Veterans Affairs pays for continuing professional education (training that keeps professionals up to date in their field) for its health care workers. The bill increases and clarifies the reimbursement amounts that the VA must pay for these education expenses.
Who It Affects
- Full-time physicians at the VA
- Full-time dentists at the VA
- Full-time podiatrists at the VA
- Full-time registered nurses at the VA
- Full-time physician assistants at the VA
- Full-time psychologists at the VA
- Full-time licensed practical or vocational nurses at the VA
- Full-time medical technologists at the VA
- Full-time diagnostic radiologic technologists at the VA
- Full-time social workers at the VA
- The Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary
Key Provisions
- The VA Secretary must reimburse physicians, dentists, podiatrists, registered nurses and physician assistants up to $2,000 per year each for continuing professional education expenses. (Sec. 2(a)(1))
- The VA Secretary must reimburse psychologists, licensed practical or vocational nurses, medical technologists, diagnostic radiologic technologists and social workers up to $2,000 per year each for continuing professional education expenses. (Sec. 2(a)(2))
- The VA Secretary may adjust the dollar amounts over time, but adjustments cannot lower the reimbursement below $2,000 per year for any worker listed in the bill. (Sec. 2(b))
What Changes
The bill updates Section 7411 of federal law to specify the reimbursement amounts and allows the VA Secretary to adjust these amounts in the future while maintaining a minimum of $2,000 per year.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 543
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the reimbursement of
continuing professional education expenses for health care professionals
of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 26, 2023
Ms. BROWNLEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the
reimbursement of continuing professional education ex-
penses for health care professionals of the Department
of Veterans Affairs.
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 ‘‘Department of Vet-
4
erans Affairs Continuing Professional Education Mod-
5
ernization Act’’ or the ‘‘VA CPE Modernization Act’’.
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•HR 543 IH
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT TO REIMBURSEMENT OF CON-
1
TINUING
PROFESSIONAL
EDUCATION
EX-
2
PENSES FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
3
OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
4
(a) REIMBURSEMENT.—Section 7411 of title 38,
5
United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
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‘‘§ 7411. Reimbursement of continuing professional
7
education expenses
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‘‘(a) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Secretary shall reim-
9
burse certain full-time health care professionals of the De-
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partment for expenses incurred for continuing professional
11
education in amounts as follows:
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‘‘(1) With respect to any physician, dentist, po-
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diatrist, registered nurse, or physician assistant ap-
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pointed under section 7401(1) of this title, not more
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than $2,000 per year for each such individual.
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‘‘(2) With respect to any psychologist, licensed
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practical or vocational nurse, medical technologist,
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diagnostic radiologic technologist, or social worker
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appointed under section 7401(3) of this title, not
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more than $2,000 per year for each such individual.
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‘‘(b) ADJUSTMENT.—The Secretary may from time
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to time adjust the dollar amounts specified in subsection
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(a), so long as such adjustment does not result in a reim-
24
bursement of less than $2,000 per year for each individual
25
specified in subsection (a).’’.
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•HR 543 IH
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
1
at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended
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by striking the item relating to section 7411 and inserting
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the following new item:
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‘‘7411. Reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses.’’.
Æ
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