II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5035 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider 

scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in 

scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2024 

Mr. MORAN (for himself and Mrs. FISCHER) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an 

external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments 

for care and services under the Veterans Community 

Care Program, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. EXTERNAL PROVIDER SCHEDULING PROGRAM 

4 OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 

7 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:53 Sep 17, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S5035.IS S5035

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1 serting after section 1703F the following new sec2 tion: 

3 ‘‘§ 1703G. External Provider Scheduling Program 

4 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established within the 

5 Department a national External Provider Scheduling Pro6 gram (in this section referred to as the ‘Program’) to as7 sist the Department in scheduling appointments for care 

8 and services under the Veterans Community Care Pro9 gram under section 1703 of this title. 

10 ‘‘(b) ELEMENTS OF PROGRAM.—The Program shall 

11 consist of technology that allows schedulers of the Depart12 ment to view the schedules of health care providers partici13 pating in the Veterans Community Care Program under 

14 section 1703 of this title and schedule, in real-time, ap15 pointments for care and services under such section. 

16 ‘‘(c) USE OF CONTRACTS.—The Secretary shall carry 

17 out the Program through an existing contract entered into 

18 by the Department, if feasible, or a new contract. 

19 ‘‘(d) REDUCTION IN WAIT TIMES.—The Secretary 

20 shall ensure that the Program— 

21 ‘‘(1) reduces the time (measured in days) from 

22 referral of veterans to health care providers under 

23 the Veterans Community Care Program under sec24 tion 1703 of this title to the actual scheduling of apVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:53 Sep 17, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S5035.IS S5035

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1 pointments for care or services under such section; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(2) reduces the time (measured in days and 

4 hours) for schedulers of the Department to schedule 

5 appointments for care or services under such section. 

6 ‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than September 

7 30 of each year through 2028, the Secretary shall submit 

8 to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 

9 the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep10 resentatives a report on the progress of the Secretary in 

11 establishing the Program.’’. 

12 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec13 tions at the beginning of chapter 17 of title 38, 

14 United States Code, is amended by inserting after 

15 the item relating to section 1703F the following new 

16 item: 

‘‘1703G. External Provider Scheduling Program.’’. 

17 (b) AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary of 

18 Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the national External 

19 Provider Scheduling Program established under section 

20 1703G of title 38, United States Code, as added by sub21 section (a)(1), is available to all medical centers of the 

22 Department of Veterans Affairs by not later than Sep23 tember 30, 2025. 

24 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 1703 of 

25 title 38, United States Code, is amended— 


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1 (1) in subsection (a)(2)(A), by inserting ‘‘, in2 cluding pursuant to the program under section 

3 1703G of this title,’’ after ‘‘medical appointments’’; 

4 and 

5 (2) in subsection (h)(2)(B), by inserting ‘‘, in6 cluding pursuant to the program under section 

7 1703G of this title’’ before the period at the end. 

Æ 


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