[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S3554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4467. Mr. JOHNSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle I of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1097. PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION ON PROVISION OF HEALTH 
                   CARE BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND 
                   ABUSE OF OPIOIDS BY VETERANS.

       (a) Publication of Information.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less 
     frequently than once every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs shall publish on a publicly available 
     Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     information on the provision of health care by the Department 
     and the abuse of opioids by veterans.
       (b) Elements.--
       (1) Health care.--
       (A) In general.--Each publication required by subsection 
     (a) shall include, with respect to each medical facility of 
     the Department during the 180-day period preceding such 
     publication, the following:
       (i) The average number of patients seen per month by each 
     primary care physician.
       (ii) The average length of stay for inpatient care.
       (iii) A description of any hospital-acquired condition 
     acquired by a patient.
       (iv) The rate of readmission of patients within 30 days of 
     release.
       (v) The rate at which opioids are prescribed to each 
     patient.
       (vi) The average wait time for emergency room treatment.
       (vii) A description of any scheduling backlog with respect 
     to patient appointments.
       (B) Additional elements.--The Secretary may include in each 
     publication required by subsection (a) such additional 
     information on the safety of medical facilities of the 
     Department, health outcomes at such facilities, and quality 
     of care at such facilities as the Secretary considers 
     appropriate.
       (C) Searchability.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     information described in subparagraph (A) that is included on 
     the Internet website required by subsection (a) is searchable 
     by State, city, and facility.
       (2) Opioid abuse by veterans.--Each publication required by 
     subsection (a) shall include, for the 180-day period 
     preceding such publication, the following information:
       (A) The number of veterans prescribed opioids by health 
     care providers of the Department.
       (B) A comprehensive list of all facilities of the 
     Department offering an opioid treatment program, including 
     details on the types of services available at each facility.
       (C) The number of veterans treated by a health care 
     provider of the Department for opioid abuse.
       (D) Of the veterans described in subparagraph (C), the 
     number treated for opioid abuse in conjunction with 
     posttraumic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety.
       (E) With respect to veterans receiving treatment for opioid 
     abuse--
       (i) the average number of times veterans reported abusing 
     opioids before beginning such treatment; and
       (ii) the main reasons reported to the Department by 
     veterans as to how they came to receive such treatment, 
     including self-referral or recommendation by a physician or 
     family member.
       (c) Personal Information.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     personal information connected to information published under 
     subsection (a) is protected from disclosure as required by 
     applicable law.
       (d) Comptroller General Report.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
     General of the United States shall submit to Congress a 
     report setting forth recommendations for additional elements 
     to be included with the information published under 
     subsection (a) to improve the evaluation and assessment of 
     the safety and health of individuals receiving health care 
     under the laws administered by the Secretary and the quality 
     of health care received by such individuals.
                                 ______