[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6207 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6207

      To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make certain 
   improvements in scheduling veterans for health care appointments.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 28, 2016

  Mr. Valadao (for himself, Mr. Denham, Mr. Knight, Mr. Calvert, Mr. 
  Curbelo of Florida, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mr. 
 Bishop of Michigan, Ms. Jenkins of Kansas, Mr. McClintock, Mr. Joyce, 
 Mr. Costa, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Collins of New York, Mr. Nunes, and 
Ms. Stefanik) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make certain 
   improvements in scheduling veterans for health care appointments.

    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 ``ACT to Improve VA Timing and 
Efficiency'' or the ``ACTivate Act''.

SEC. 2. USE OF PRIVATE ENTITIES TO SCHEDULE AND MANAGE HEALTH CARE 
              APPOINTMENTS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) There have been problems with scheduling veterans for 
        health appointments with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) There is no defined process for scheduling such 
        appointments, thus inhibiting the quality of health care 
        provided to veterans by the Department.
            (3) A report by the Inspector General of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs shows that 64 percent of such appointments are 
        scheduled outside of the 30-day target for timely care.
            (4) A report by the Northern Virginia Technology Council 
        found that the exam-scheduling processes of the Department are 
        insufficient and are a contributing factor in the overall 
        backlog at medical facilities of the Department.
    (b) Award of Contracts.--The Secretary shall seek to award 
contracts to private entities to assist the Secretary with scheduling 
and managing appointments for hospital care and medical services by 
veterans enrolled in the patient enrollment system established by 
section 1705 of title 38, United States Code.
    (c) Scope.--The Secretary shall ensure that the assistance provided 
pursuant to a contract awarded under subsection (b) augments the 
process by which the Secretary schedules and manages appointments for 
hospital care and medical services, including initial appointments, 
home health care visits, and follow-up appointments (including with 
respect to appointments with or for physicians, laboratory work, and 
tests).
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