II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1631 

To authorize the establishment in the Department of Veterans Affairs of 

a center for technical assistance for non-Department health care providers who furnish care to veterans in rural areas, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 

Mr. TESTER (for himself and Mr. BEGICH) introduced the following bill; which 

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

A BILL 

To authorize the establishment in the Department of Veterans Affairs of a center for technical assistance for 

non-Department health care providers who furnish care 

to veterans in rural areas, 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. CENTER FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR 

4 NON-DEPARTMENT HEALTH CARE PRO5 VIDERS WHO FURNISH CARE TO VETERANS 

6 IN RURAL AREAS. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

8 AFFAIRS AUTHORIZED.— 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 1631 IS

1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 

2 Affairs may establish in the Department of Veterans 

3 Affairs a center for technical assistance to assist 

4 non-Department health providers who furnish care 

5 to veterans in rural areas. 

6 (2) DESIGNATION.—The center authorized by 

7 paragraph (1) may be known as the ‘‘Rural Vet8 erans Health Care Technical Assistance Center’’ (in 

9 this section referred to as the ‘‘Center’’). 

10 (b) DIRECTOR.—The head of the Center shall be the 

11 Director of the Rural Veterans Health Care Technical As12 sistance Center, who shall be appointed by the Secretary 

13 from among individuals who— 

14 (1) are qualified to carry out the duties of the 

15 Director; and 

16 (2) have significant knowledge and experience 

17 working for or with a non-Department health care 

18 provider that furnishes care to veterans in rural 

19 areas. 

20 (c) LOCATION.—The Secretary shall select the loca21 tion of the Center. In selecting the location of the Center, 

22 the Secretary shall give preference to a location that— 

23 (1) has in place infrastructure appropriate for 

24 the functions of the Center; 

25 (2) is located in a State that has— 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 1631 IS

1 (A) a high number of veterans in rural and 

2 highly rural areas (including veterans not en3 rolled in the system of annual patient enroll4 ment established under section 1705 of title 38, 

5 United States Code); and 

6 (B) a history of strong collaboration— 

7 (i) between the Veterans Health Ad8 ministration and non-Department health 

9 providers who furnish care to veterans; and 

10 (ii) between the Veterans Health Ad11 ministration and a State institution of 

12 higher education that maintains links to or 

13 contracts with a State office of rural 

14 health and another rural health program; 

15 and 

16 (3) is in proximity to one or more entities car17 rying out programs and activities relating to health 

18 care for rural populations (including rural popu19 lations of veterans), including an institution of high20 er education carrying out such programs and activi21 ties that is willing to enter into a partnership with 

22 the Center to assist and collaborate with the Center 

23 in the discharge of its functions. 

24 (d) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Center shall 

25 be as follows: 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 1631 IS

1 (1) To develop and disseminate information, 

2 educational materials, training programs, technical 

3 assistance and materials, and other tools to improve 

4 access to health care services for veterans in rural 

5 areas and to otherwise improve the health care pro6 vided veterans by non-Department health care pro7 viders. 

8 (2) To improve collaboration on health care 

9 matters, including exchange of health information, 

10 for veterans receiving health care from both Depart11 ment and non-Department providers of health care 

12 services between the Department and other health 

13 care providers serving rural populations, including 

14 rural health clinics, community health centers serv15 ing rural populations, critical access hospitals serv16 ing rural populations, small rural hospitals, tele17 health networks, and other rural health care pro18 viders and systems. 

19 (3) To establish and maintain Internet-based 

20 information (including practical models, best prac21 tices, research results, and other appropriate infor22 mation) on mechanisms to improve health care for 

23 veterans in rural areas. 

24 (4) To work with existing Government offices 

25 and agencies on health care for rural populations 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 1631 IS

1 and veterans health care, including the Office of 

2 Rural Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

3 and the Office of Rural Health Policy of the Health 

4 Resources and Services Administration of the De5 partment of Health and Human Services, on pro6 grams, activities, and other mechanisms for improv7 ing health care for rural veterans. 

8 (5) To track and monitor fee expenditures of 

9 the Department relating to non-Department health 

10 care providers serving rural populations and to 

11 evaluate the Center through the use of an inde12 pendent entity experienced and knowledgeable about 

13 rural health care matters, such non-Department pro14 viders, and programs and services of the Depart15 ment. 

16 (e) DISCHARGE OF FUNCTIONS THROUGH PARTNER17 SHIPS.—For purposes of discharging its functions under 

18 subsection (d), the Center may enter into partnerships 

19 with persons and entities (including small business con20 cerns owned by veterans or veterans with service-con21 nected disabilities) that have demonstrated expertise in 

22 the provision of educational and technical assistance for 

23 veterans in rural areas, health care providers serving rural 

24 populations, and persons and entities seeking to enter into 

25 contracts with the Federal Government in matters relating 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 1631 IS

1 to the functions of the Center, including the provision of 

2 educational and technical assistance relating to telehealth, 

3 reimbursement for health care, improvement of quality of 

4 care, and contracting with the Federal Government. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS