    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Public Law 115-130
    115th Congress

    An Act

    To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit certain reports
    relating to medical evidence submitted in support of claims for benefits
    under the laws administered by the Secretary. <>

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
    United States of America in Congress assembled,
    SECTION 1. REPORT ON PROGRESS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
    ACCEPTABLE CLINICAL EVIDENCE
    INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
    enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
    Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
    of the House of Representatives a report on the progress of the
    Acceptable Clinical Evidence initiative of the Department of Veterans
    Affairs in reducing the necessity for in-person disability examinations
    and other efforts to comply with the provisions of section 5125 of title
    38, United States Code.
    (b) Contents of Report.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
    include the following:
    (1) The number of claims eligible for the Acceptable
    Clinical Evidence initiative during the period beginning on the
    date of the commencement of the initiative and ending on the
    date of the submittal of the report, disaggregated by fiscal
    year.
    (2) The total number of claims eligible for the Acceptable
    Clinical Evidence initiative that required a medical examiner of
    the Department to supplement the evidence with information
    obtained during a telephone interview with a claimant.
    (3) Information on any other initiatives or efforts of the
    Department to further encourage the use of private medical
    evidence and reliance upon reports of a medical examination
    administered by a private physician if the report is
    sufficiently complete to be adequate for the purposes of
    adjudicating a claim.
    (4) The anticipated impact on the timeline and accuracy of a
    decision on a claim for benefits under chapter 11 or 15 of title
    38, United States Code, if the Secretary were prohibited from
    requesting a medical examination in the case of a claim in
    support of which a claimant submits medical evidence and a
    medical opinion provided by a private physician that is
    competent, credible, probative, and otherwise adequate for the
    purpose of making a decision on that claim.
    (5) Recommendations on how the Department can measure,
    track, and prevent the ordering of unnecessary medical
    examinations when the provision by a claimant of a medical

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    examination administered by a private physician in support of a
    claim for benefits under chapter 11 or 15 of title 38, United
    States Code, is adequate for the purpose of making a decision on
    that claim.
    SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT ON SUBMITTAL OF PRIVATE MEDICAL EVIDENCE IN
    SUPPORT OF CLAIMS FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
    AFFAIRS BENEFITS.

    Not later than March 1 of fiscal years 2018 through 2024, the
    Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report that
    includes, for the calendar year preceding the year in which the report
    is submitted, the following for each regional office of the Department
    of Veterans Affairs:
    (1) The number of times a veteran who submitted private
    medical evidence in support of a claim for compensation or
    pension under the laws administered by the Secretary was
    scheduled for an examination performed by Department personnel
    because the private medical evidence submitted was determined to
    be unacceptable.
    (2) The most common reasons why private medical evidence
    submitted in support of claims for benefits under the laws
    administered by the Secretary was determined to be unacceptable.
    (3) The types of disabilities for which claims for benefits
    under the laws administered by the Secretary were mostly
    commonly denied when private medical evidence was submitted.

    Approved March 9, 2018.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1725:
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    HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-133 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs).
    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
    Vol. 163 (2017):
    May 23, considered and passed House.
    Vol. 164 (2018):
    Feb. 15, considered and passed
    Senate.