[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2423 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2423

   To improve wait times for appointments for hospital care, medical 
    services, and other health care from the Department of Veterans 
 Affairs, to improve accountability of employees responsible for long 
       wait times for such appointments, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 3, 2014

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To improve wait times for appointments for hospital care, medical 
    services, and other health care from the Department of Veterans 
 Affairs, to improve accountability of employees responsible for long 
       wait times for such appointments, 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 ``Veterans Access to Care 
Accountability Act''.

SEC. 2. AUDITS BY THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.

    The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct random, 
periodic audits of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and the Veterans Integrated Service Networks, to assess 
whether such facilities and Networks are complying with all standards 
imposed by law or by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with respect to 
the timely access of veterans to hospital care, medical services, and 
other health care from the Department.

SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENT OF WAIT TIMES FOR APPOINTMENTS FOR HOSPITAL CARE, 
              MEDICAL SERVICES, AND OTHER HEALTH CARE FROM THE 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, upon 
receipt of a report described in subsection (b) that finds that an 
eligible veteran has been subjected to a wait time of more than 30 days 
for an appointment for hospital care, medical services, or other health 
care from the Department of Veterans Affairs--
            (1) not later than 48 hours after the receipt of such 
        report, notify such eligible veteran of the status of the 
        appointment of such eligible veteran for such care or services; 
        and
            (2) make every effort possible to schedule an appointment 
        for such eligible veteran for such care or services at a 
        medical facility of the Department or through a non-Department 
        health care provider on a date that is not later than seven 
        days after the receipt of such report.
    (b) Report Described.--A report described in this subsection is any 
report as follows:
            (1) Any report of the Inspector General of the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs with respect to the provision by the 
        Department of hospital care, medical services, or other health 
        care to veterans.
            (2) Any report of the Comptroller General of the United 
        States with respect to the provision by the Department of such 
        care or services.
            (3) Any report of the Department or another organization 
        with respect to the provision by the Department of such care or 
        services within a Veterans Integrated Service Network or 
        medical facility of the Department.
            (4) Any other report of the Department with respect to the 
        provision by the Department of such care or services.
    (c) Privacy.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter 
privacy rules of the Department with respect to the disclosure of 
personal information of eligible veterans seeking such care or services 
from the Department.
    (d) Eligible Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
veteran'' means a veteran who is eligible for hospital care, medical 
services, or other health care under the laws administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 4. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND BONUSES ACCOUNTABILITY AT DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Inspector General of Department of Veterans Affairs Notice.--If 
the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs determines 
that the director of a medical facility of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs or other official of the Department responsible for activities 
at such facility has purposefully misrepresented patient records or 
other data to conceal a failure of the facility to comply with patient 
access or care standards of the Department or for the purpose of 
qualifying for a performance award under section 5384 of title 5, 
United States Code, or any other compensation that is in addition to 
basic pay--
            (1) not later than 30 days after the date on which the 
        Inspector General makes such determination, the Inspector 
        General shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
        the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House 
        of Representatives notice of such determination; and
            (2) not later than 15 days after the date on which the 
        Inspector General submits notice under paragraph (1), the 
        Inspector General shall submit to the Secretary a list of the 
        names of each director or other official responsible for such 
        misrepresentation.
    (b) Limitation on Performance Awards.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary may not pay a bonus or award, including 
a performance award under section 5384 of title 5, United States Code, 
to any director or other official of the Department included in a list 
submitted under subsection (a)(2) until the Secretary determines that 
all issues relating to the reasons why such director or other 
individual was included in such list have been resolved.
    (c) Performance Reviews.--The Secretary shall ensure that any 
performance review or consideration for promotion of a director or 
other official of the Department responsible for activities at a 
medical facility of the Department with respect to which a notice was 
submitted under subsection (a)(1) for a misrepresentation includes an 
evaluation of whether the director or other official knew or should 
have known about such misrepresentation.
    (d) Prohibition on Publication of Names.--The Inspector General may 
not make public the names of directors or other officials included in 
the list under subsection (a)(2).
    (e) Role of Inspector General.--Any responsibility or authority of 
the Inspector General provided under this section is in addition to any 
responsibility or authority provided to the Inspector General in the 
Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).
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