[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 297 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 297

To revive and expand the Intermediate Care Technician Pilot Program of 
      the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 2015

   Mr. Kirk (for himself, Mr. Manchin, and Mr. Udall) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To revive and expand the Intermediate Care Technician Pilot Program of 
      the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Frontlines to Lifelines Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. REVIVAL AND EXPANSION OF INTERMEDIATE CARE TECHNICIAN PILOT 
              PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Revival.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall revive the 
Intermediate Care Technician Pilot Program of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs that was carried out by the Secretary between January 
2013 and February 2014.
    (b) Technicians.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall expand the pilot 
        program under subsection (a) to include not less than 250 
        intermediate care technicians who are participating in the 
        pilot program.
            (2) Facilities.--
                    (A) In general.--Any intermediate care technician 
                hired pursuant to paragraph (1) may be assigned to a 
                medical facility of the Department as determined by the 
                Secretary for purposes of this section.
                    (B) Priority.--In assigning intermediate care 
                technicians under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
                give priority to facilities at which veterans have the 
                longest wait times for appointments for the receipt of 
                hospital care or medical services from the Department, 
                as determined by the Secretary for purposes of this 
                section.
    (c) Termination.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
under subsection (a) during the three-year period beginning on the date 
of the enactment of this Act.
    (d) Hospital Care and Medical Services Defined.--In this section, 
the terms ``hospital care'' and ``medical services'' have the meanings 
given such terms in section 1701 of title 38, United States Code.

SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDER CREDENTIALING DATA FROM 
              SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--In a case in which the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs hires a covered health care provider, the Secretary of Defense 
shall, after receiving a request from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
for the credentialing data of the Secretary of Defense relating to such 
health care provider, transfer to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
such credentialing data.
    (b) Covered Health Care Providers.--For purposes of this section, a 
covered provider is a health care provider who--
            (1) is or was employed by the Secretary of Defense;
            (2) provides or provided health care related services as 
        part of such employment; and
            (3) was credentialed by the Secretary of Defense.
    (c) Policies and Regulations.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
and the Secretary of Defense shall establish such policies and 
promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this 
section.
    (d) Credentialing Defined.--In this section, the term 
``credentialing'' means the systematic process of screening and 
evaluating qualifications and other credentials, including licensure, 
required education, relevant training and experience, and current 
competence and health status.

SEC. 4. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE OF CERTAIN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED 
              NURSES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any provision of law of a State, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may authorize a covered nurse to 
practice independently, without supervision or direction of others, 
under a set of privileges approved by the Secretary, regardless of the 
State in which the covered nurse is employed by the Secretary.
    (b) Covered Nurses.--For purposes of this section, a covered nurse 
is an advanced practice registered nurse who is employed by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs in any of the following specializations:
            (1) Nurse Midwife.
            (2) Clinical Nurse Specialist, with respect to the 
        provision of mental health care.
            (3) Nurse Practitioner.
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