[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2007 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2nd Session
                                S. 2007

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve procedures relating 
  to the scheduling of appointments for certain non-emergency medical 
    services from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 26, 2000

  Mr. Conrad introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve procedures relating 
  to the scheduling of appointments for certain non-emergency medical 
    services from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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. IMPROVEMENT OF PROCEDURES RELATING TO SCHEDULING OF 
              APPOINTMENTS FOR CERTAIN NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--(1) Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1706 the following 
new section:
``Sec. 1706A. Management of health care: appointments for certain non-
              emergency medical services
    ``(a) The Secretary shall establish a priority in the scheduling of 
appointments for non-emergency medical services furnished by the 
Secretary through medical specialists for veterans with service-
connected disabilities.
    ``(b) If the scheduled date of an appointment of a veteran with a 
service-connected disability for non-emergency medical services to be 
furnished by the Secretary through a medical specialist is more than 
three weeks later than the date the appointment is made, the Secretary 
shall--
            ``(1) provide for the immediate review of the appointment; 
        and
            ``(2) furnish the medical services covered by the 
        appointment to the veteran at an earlier date than the 
        scheduled date of the appointment--
                    ``(A) through a Department medical specialist at 
                another Department facility; or
                    ``(B) through a non-Department medical specialist 
                located in the area in which the veteran resides.''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of that 
title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1706 
the following new item:

``1706A. Management of health care: appointments for certain non-
                            emergency medical services.''.
    (b) Annual Report on Shortages in Medical Specialty Personnel.--(1) 
Not later than January 31 each year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall submit to Congress a report on any shortages in medical specialty 
personnel in the Veterans Health Administration during the preceding 
year.
    (2) The report under paragraph (1) for a year shall--
            (A) set forth the average waiting period during the year 
        for veterans with service-connected disabilities for various 
        types of non-emergency medical services furnished by medical 
        specialty personnel at each Department of Veterans Affairs 
        medical center;
            (B) set forth any shortages in medical specialty personnel 
        identified by the Secretary during the year; and
            (C) include the recommendations of the Secretary for means 
        of addressing such shortages, including recommendations, if 
        appropriate, for special pays, adjustments in pay, or other 
        modifications of pay authority necessary to recruit or retain 
        appropriate medical specialty personnel.
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