[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3082 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3082

 To improve health care services of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
          relating to women veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 15, 1993

 Mr. Rowland (for himself and Mr. Smith of New Jersey) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To improve health care services of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
          relating to women veterans, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Women Veterans Health Improvements 
Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR WOMEN.

    (a) Ensuring Provision of Services.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall ensure that each health-care facility under the direct 
jurisdiction of the Secretary is able, through services made available 
either by individuals appointed to positions in the Veterans Health 
Administration or under contracts or other agreements made under 
section 7409, 8111, or 8153 of title 38, United States Code, or title 
II of Public Law 102-585, to provide in a timely and appropriate manner 
the health care services authorized in section 106 of Public Law 102-
585 to any veteran described in section 1710(a)(1) of title 38, United 
States Code, who is eligible for such services.
    (b) Routine Health Care Services.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
each health-care facility under the direct jurisdiction of the 
Secretary that serves a catchment area in which the number of women 
veterans described in section 1710(a)(1) of title 38, United States 
Code, makes it cost effective to do so shall provide routine health-
care services described in subsection (a) directly (rather than by 
contract or other agreement). The Secretary shall ensure that each such 
facility is provided appropriate equipment, facilities, and staff to 
carry out the preceding sentence and to ensure that the quality of care 
provided under the preceding sentence is in accordance with 
professional standards.
    (c) Conforming Repeal.--Section 302 of the Veterans' Health Care 
Amendments of 1983 (Public Law 98-160; 97 Stat. 1004; 38 U.S.C. 1701 
note) is repealed.

SEC. 3. MAMMOGRAPHY QUALITY STANDARDS.

    (a) Performance of Mammograms.--Mammograms may not be performed at 
a Department of Veterans' Affairs facility unless that facility is 
accredited for that purpose by a private nonprofit organization 
designated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The organization 
designated by the Secretary under this subsection shall meet the 
standards for accrediting bodies established under section 354(c) of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 263b(e)).
    (b) Quality Standards.--During the 120-day period beginning on the 
date on which the Secretary of Health and Human Services prescribes 
quality standards under section 354(f) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 263b(f)), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall prescribe 
quality assurance and quality control standards relating to the 
performance and interpretation of mammograms and use of mammogram 
equipment and facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
consistent with the requirements of section 354(f)(1) (42 U.S.C. 
263b(f)(1)) of the Public Health Service Act.
    (c) Inspection of Department Equipment.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, to ensure compliance with the standards prescribed under 
subsection (b), shall provide for periodic inspection of the equipment 
and facilities used by and in Department of Veterans Affairs health 
care facilities for the performance of mammograms.
    (d) Application of Standards to Contract Providers.--The Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that mammograms performed for the 
Department of Veterans Affairs under contract with any non-Federal 
facility or provider conform to the quality standards prescribed by the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 354 of the Public 
Health Service Act.
    (e) Report.--(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to 
the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of 
Representatives a report on the Secretary's implementation of this 
section.
    (2) The report shall be submitted not later than 120 days after the 
date on which the Secretary prescribes the standards required under 
subsection (b).
    (f) Definition.--For the purposes of this section, the term 
``mammogram'' shall have the meaning given such term in section 
354(a)(5) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 263b(a)).

SEC. 4. SEXUAL TRAUMA COUNSELING.

    (a) Section 1720D(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking out ``December 31, 1995'' in paragraph (1) 
        and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1996'';
            (2) by striking out paragraph (2); and
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2) and 
        striking out ``December 31, 1994'' in that paragraph and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1995''.
    (b) Section 102(b) of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public 
Law 102-585; 106 Stat. 4946; 38 U.S.C. 1720D note) is repealed.

SEC. 5. COORDINATORS OF WOMEN'S SERVICES.

    (a) Full-Time Status.--Section 108 of the Veterans Health Care Act 
of 1992 (Public Law 102-585; 106 Stat. 4948; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``The Secretary''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Each official who serves in the position of coordinator of 
women's services under subsection (a) shall serve in such position on a 
full-time basis.''.
    (b) Empowerment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take 
appropriate actions to ensure that the coordinator of women's services 
at each facility of the Veterans Health Administration is able to carry 
out the responsibilities of a coordinator in ensuring that women 
veterans receive quality medical care and, to the extent practicable, 
have equal access to Veterans Administration facilities.

SEC. 6. PATIENT PRIVACY.

    (a) Identification of Deficiencies.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall conduct a survey of each medical center under the 
jurisdiction of the Secretary to identify deficiencies relating to 
patient privacy afforded to women patients in the clinical areas at 
each such center which may interfere with appropriate treatment of such 
patients.
    (b) Correction of Deficiencies.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
plans to correct the deficiencies identified in the survey conducted 
under subsection (a) are developed and are incorporated into the 
Department's construction planning processes and given a high priority.
    (c) Reports to Congress.--The Secretary shall compile an annual 
inventory, by medical center, of deficiencies identified under 
subsection (a) and of plans to correct such deficiencies. The Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives, not later than October 1, 1994, and not 
later than October 1 each year thereafter through 1996 a report on such 
deficiencies. The Secretary shall include in such report the inventory 
compiled by the Secretary, the proposed corrective plans, and the 
status of such plans.

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