1.Department of Veterans
Affairs pilot program on traumatic brain injury care in rural areas
(a)The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
carry out a pilot program in five rural States selected by the Secretary, in
consultation with the Office of Rural Health of the Department of Veterans
Affairs. In each of the five States selected, the Secretary shall assign a
specific Department of Veterans Affairs case manager to each individual
diagnosed with traumatic brain injury who is receiving care in a medical
facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs in a selected State. In carrying
out the pilot program, the Secretary shall—
(1)provide training
at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities located in the selected
States for Department of Veterans Affairs case managers who are assigned to
individuals diagnosed with traumatic brain injury;
(2)coordinate with
non-Department medical facilities located in the selected States to provide for
such training, as appropriate;
(3)determine an
appropriate ratio of traumatic brain injury patients to each case manager to
ensure the patients receive proper and efficient treatment;
(4)for any area in a
selected State in which no Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility is
easily accessible, seek to enter into a contract with a private health care
provider located in that area under which the Secretary shall reimburse the
provider for providing health care to traumatic brain injury patients residing
in that area; and
(5)provide updated information on the
treatment of traumatic brain injuries to private health care providers that
have entered into contracts with the Secretary under paragraph (4).
(b)The
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress an annual report on the
pilot program under this section.
(c)The
authority to carry out a pilot program under this section shall terminate on
the date that is five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.