[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1298 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1298

  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct cost-benefit 
    analyses for the provision of medical care by the Department of 
    Veterans Affairs in certain geographic areas served by multiple 
           Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2011

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct cost-benefit 
    analyses for the provision of medical care by the Department of 
    Veterans Affairs in certain geographic areas served by multiple 
           Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.

    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 ``Veterans' Efficiencies Through 
Savings Act of 2011'' or the ``VETS Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. COST-BENEFIT ANALYSES REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC AREAS 
              SERVED BY MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              FACILITIES.

    (a) Cost-Benefit Analysis Required.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the provision of 
medical care by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the following 
geographic areas:
            (1) Any 75 square mile area where three or more Department 
        outpatient clinics are located.
            (2) Any 100 square mile area where two or more Department 
        hospitals are located.
    (b) Contents of Analysis.--In conducting a cost-benefit analysis 
under subsection (a)--
            (1) for any area described in paragraph (1) of such 
        subsection, the Secretary shall determine whether the benefits 
        of operating all three clinics in the area outweigh the 
        benefits of replacing such clinics with one comprehensive 
        outpatient clinic;
            (2) the Secretary shall consider the benefits of 
        constructing a new Department hospital to serve veterans 
        residing in the area and the benefits of entering into an 
        agreement with a non-Department hospital for the provision of 
        dedicated space within the hospital to provide in-patient 
        hospital care to veterans residing in the area; and
            (3) the Secretary shall evaluate any agreements entered 
        into with non-Department medical care providers to provide 
        medical care to veterans residing in an area served by one or 
        more of the outpatient clinics or hospitals located in the area 
        for which the analysis is conducted to determine whether to 
        enter into such an agreement with any additional providers.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on any cost-benefit analysis conducted under this section.
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