109 HR 5870 IH: South Texas Veterans Access to Care
U.S. House of Representatives
2006-07-24
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as the
South Texas Veterans Access to Care
Act of 2006
.
2.
(a)Congress
finds the following:
(1)The current and
future health care needs of veterans residing in the Far South Texas area are
not being fully met by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2)The Department of Veterans Affairs states
that, as of January 1, 2006, the number of veterans in Far South Texas is
approximately 114,000.
(3)In its Capital
Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services study, the Department of Veterans
Affairs found that fewer than three percent of its enrollees in the
Valley-Coastal Bend Market of Veterans Integrated Service Network 17 reside
within its acute hospital access standards.
(4)Travel times for
veterans from the market referred to in paragraph (3) can exceed six hours from
their residences to the nearest Department of Veterans Affairs hospital for
acute inpatient health care.
(5)Even with the significant travel times,
veterans from Far South Texas demonstrate a high demand for health care
services from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(6)Current
deployments involving members of the Texas National Guard and Reservists from
Texas will continue to inflate projections by the Department of Veterans
Affairs of demand.
(b)For
purposes of this Act, the term Far South Texas means the following
counties of the State of Texas: Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron,
Crockett, DeWitt, Dimmit, Duval, Goliad, Hidalgo, Jackson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells,
Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Victoria, Webb, Willacy,
and Zapata.
3.Medical care for
veterans in Far South Texas
(a)Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall determine,
and notify Congress pursuant to subsection (b), whether the needs of veterans
in Far South Texas for acute inpatient hospital care shall be met—
(1)through a project
for a public-private venture to provide inpatient services and long-term care
to veterans in an existing facility in Far South Texas;
(2)through a project
for construction of a new full-service, 50-bed hospital with a 125-bed nursing
home in Far South Texas; or
(3)through a sharing
agreement with a military treatment facility in Far South Texas.
(b)Notification and
ProspectusNot later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report—
(1)identifying which
of the three options specified in subsection (a) has been selected by the
Secretary; and
(2)providing, for the
option selected, a prospectus that includes, at a minimum, the matter specified
in paragraphs (1) through (8) of section 8104(b) of title 38, United States
Code, and the project timelines.
4.Public-private
venture for medical care for veterans in Far South Texas
(a)If
the option selected by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 3(a) is
the option specified in paragraph (1) of that section for a project of a
public-private venture to provide inpatient and long-term care to veterans at
an existing facility in Far South Texas, then the Secretary shall, subject to
the availability of appropriations for such purpose, take such steps as
necessary to enter into an agreement with an appropriate private-sector entity
to provide for inpatient and long-term care services for veterans at an
existing facility in one of the counties of Far South Texas. Such an agreement
may include provision for construction of a new wing or other addition at such
facility to provide additional services that will, under the agreement, be
leased by the United States and dedicated to care and treatment of veterans by
the Secretary under title 38, United States Code.
(b)Authorization of
AppropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as necessary for a public-private venture project under this section.
5.New Department of
Veterans Affairs medical center, Far South Texas
(a)If the option selected by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs under section 3(a) is the option specified in paragraph (2) of that
section for a project for construction in Far South Texas of a new
full-service, 175-bed facility providing inpatient and long-term care services.
Such facility shall be located in the county in Far South Texas that the
Secretary determines most suitable to meet the health care needs of veterans in
the region.
(b)Authorization of
AppropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to the
Construction, Major Projects, account of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in
addition to any other amounts authorized for that account, the amount of
$175,000,000 for the project authorized by subsection (a).
6.Shared facility
with Department of Defense, Far South Texas
(a)If the option selected by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs under section 3(a) is the option specified in paragraph (3) of that
section for a project of a Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense
shared facility to provide inpatient and long-term care to veterans at an
existing facility in Far South Texas, then the Secretary shall, subject to the
availability of appropriations for such purpose, take such steps as necessary
to enter into an agreement with an appropriate military treatment facility to
provide for inpatient and long-term care services for veterans at an existing
facility in one of the counties of Far South Texas. Such an agreement may
include provision for construction of a new wing or other addition at such
facility to provide additional services that will, under the agreement, be
leased by the United States and dedicated to care and treatment of veterans by
the Secretary under title 38, United States Code.
(b)Authorization of
AppropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as necessary for a Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense venture
project under this section.