Improving Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2017

Summary: Improving Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) develop a plan for working with institutions of higher education to develop partnerships for the establishment or expansion of programs of advanced degrees in prosthetics and orthotics in order to improve and enhance the availability of high quality prosthetic and orthotic care for veterans; and (2) provide full practice authority to advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and such other licensed VA health care professionals as is consistent with the education, training, and certification of such professionals without regard to any limitation that would otherwise be imposed on the health care practice of such professionals by a state licensing or credentialing body.  The Department of Defense (DOD) must transfer to the VA upon request the credentialing data of a DOD health care provider who is hired by the VA.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Veterans Access to Quality 
Care Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF AVAILABILITY OF PROSTHETIC AND ORTHOTIC CARE FOR 
              VETERANS.

    (a) Establishment or Expansion of Advanced Degree Programs To 
Expand Availability of Care.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
work with institutions of higher education to develop partnerships for 
the establishment or expansion of programs of advanced degrees in 
prosthetics and orthotics in order to improve and enhance the 
availability of high quality prosthetic and orthotic care for veterans.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the 
        effective date specified in subsection (d), 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 setting forth a plan for carrying out 
        subsection (a).
            (2) Development of plan.--The Secretary shall develop the 
        plan required under paragraph (1) in consultation with veterans 
        service organizations, institutions of higher education with 
        accredited degree programs in prosthetics and orthotics, and 
        representatives of the prosthetics and orthotics field.
    (c) Funding.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated for fiscal year 2017 for the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs, $5,000,000 to carry out this section.
            (2) Availability.--The amount authorized to be appropriated 
        by paragraph (1) shall remain available for expenditure until 
        September 30, 2020.
    (d) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the date 
that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. PROVISION OF FULL PRACTICE AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE 
              REGISTERED NURSES, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, AND OTHER HEALTH 
              CARE PROFESSIONALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Full Practice Authority.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall provide full practice authority to advanced practice registered 
nurses, physician assistants, and such other licensed health care 
professionals of the Department of Veterans Affairs as is consistent 
with the education, training, and certification of such health care 
professionals.
    (b) Inapplicability of State Limitations.--Full practice authority 
shall be provided by the Secretary under subsection (a) to health care 
professionals described in that subsection without regard to any 
limitation that would otherwise be imposed on the health care practice 
of such professionals by a licensing or credentialing body of a State 
or otherwise under State law.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``advanced practice registered nurse'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 5509(e)(1) of Public Law 
        111-148 (42 U.S.C. 1395ww note).
            (2) The term ``full practice authority'' means--
                    (A) with respect to an advanced practice registered 
                nurse, the full scope of practice for the area of 
                nursing practiced by the advanced practice registered 
                nurse as determined by the national professional 
                association or organization, a successor association or 
                organization, or any other appropriate entity as 
                determined by the Secretary for such area of nursing;
                    (B) with respect to a physician assistant, the full 
                scope of practice for the area of medicine practiced by 
                the physician assistant as determined by the national 
                professional association or organization, a successor 
                association or organization, or any other appropriate 
                entity as determined by the Secretary for such area of 
                medicine; and
                    (C) with respect to any other licensed health care 
                professional not specified in subparagraph (A) or (B), 
                the full scope of practice for the area of medicine 
                practiced by the licensed health care professional as 
                determined by the national professional association or 
                organization, a successor association or organization, 
                or any other appropriate entity as determined by the 
                Secretary for such area of medicine.
            (3) The term ``physician assistant'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 1861(aa)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(5)(A)).

SEC. 4. 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.
    (e) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the date 
that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.