Veterans Health Care Access Received Closer to Home Act of 2014

Summary: Veterans Health Care Access Received Closer to Home Act of 2014 - Expresses the sense of Congress in support of veteran-centric health care coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and community providers, as well as cost-effective VA purchase of veterans' care from the private sector. Amends the Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 to reauthorize a VA pilot program of contract care authority within specified Veterans Integrated Service Networks for the health care needs of veterans in highly rural areas who are enrolled in the VA annual patient enrollment system. Requires: (1) that medical appointments for veterans, under the pilot program, occur during the 30-day period beginning on the date that is 15 days after the appointment is requested, and (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that eligible veterans are informed of the program.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Health Care Access Received 
Closer to Home Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) veterans who are authorized by the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs to receive health care in the community must 
        not lose the high quality, safety, care coordination, and other 
        veteran-centric elements that the health care system of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs provides;
            (2) many veterans receive health care from both the 
        Department and community providers but the lack of care 
        coordination among the Department and community providers when 
        veterans receive purchased care places veterans at risk for 
        poor health outcomes and results in inefficient use of finite 
        health care resources;
            (3) veteran-centric care coordination is associated with 
        improved patient outcomes, as Department and non-Department 
        health care teams coordinate and collaborate to provide the 
        best care for veterans; and
            (4) if the Secretary purchases care for veterans from the 
        private sector, such care must be secured in a cost-effective 
        manner, in a way that complements the larger health care system 
        of the Department by using industry standards for care and 
        costs.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION AND MODIFICATION OF PILOT PROGRAM OF ENHANCED 
              CONTRACT CARE AUTHORITY FOR HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF 
              VETERANS.

    Section 403 of the Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care 
Improvements Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-387; 38 U.S.C. 1703 note) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``120 days after 
                the date of the enactment of this Act'' and inserting 
                ``90 days after the date of the enactment of the 
                Veterans Health Care Access Received Closer to Home Act 
                of 2014''; and
                    (B) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
            ``(4) Program locations.--The Secretary shall carry out the 
        pilot program at locations in the following Veterans Integrated 
        Service Networks (and such other locations as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate):
                    ``(A) Veterans Integrated Service Network 1.
                    ``(B) Veterans Integrated Service Network 6.
                    ``(C) Veterans Integrated Service Network 15.
                    ``(D) Veterans Integrated Service Network 18.
                    ``(E) Veterans Integrated Service Network 19.'';
            (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Covered Veterans.--For purposes of the pilot program under 
this section, a covered veteran is any rural or highly rural veteran 
who--
            ``(1) is--
                    ``(A) enrolled in the system of patient enrollment 
                established under section 1705(a) of title 38, United 
                States Code;
                    ``(B) eligible for health care under the laws 
                administered by the Secretary and enrolls in such 
                system of patient enrollment not later than 30 days 
                after the veteran begins receiving covered health 
                services under the pilot program; or
                    ``(C) eligible for health care under section 
                1710(e)(3) of such title; and
            ``(2) resides in a location that is--
                    ``(A) more than 60 minutes driving distance from 
                the nearest Department health care facility providing 
                primary care services, if the veteran is seeking such 
                services;
                    ``(B) more than 120 minutes driving distance from 
                the nearest Department health care facility providing 
                acute hospital care, if the veteran is seeking such 
                care; or
                    ``(C) more than 240 minutes driving distance from 
                the nearest Department health care facility providing 
                tertiary care, if the veteran is seeking such care.'';
            (3) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (j);
            (4) by inserting after subsection (g) the following new 
        subsections:
    ``(h) Appointments.--In carrying out the pilot program under this 
section, the Secretary shall ensure that medical appointments for 
veterans occur during the 30-day period beginning on the date that is 
15 days after the date on which the appointment is requested.
    ``(i) Outreach.--The Secretary shall ensure that a veteran eligible 
for the pilot program under this section is informed of such 
program.''; and
            (5) in paragraph (2)(B) of subsection (j), as redesignated 
        by paragraph (3) of this section, by striking the semicolon at 
        the end and inserting ``; and''.