I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 3082

To improve health care services of the Department of Veterans Affairs

relating to women veterans, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 15, 1993

Mr. ROWLAND (for himself and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) introduced the

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To improve health care services of the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to women veterans, 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. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Women Veterans

5 Health Improvements Act of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR WOMEN.

7 (a) ENSURING PROVISION OF SERVICES.—The Sec8 retary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that each health9 care facility under the direct jurisdiction of the Secretary

10 is able, through services made available either by individ-
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1 uals appointed to positions in the Veterans Health Admin2 istration or under contracts or other agreements made

3 under section 7409, 8111, or 8153 of title 38, United

4 States Code, or title II of Public Law 102–585, to provide

5 in a timely and appropriate manner the health care serv6 ices authorized in section 106 of Public Law 102–585 to

7 any veteran described in section 1710(a)(1) of title 38,

8 United States Code, who is eligible for such services.

9 (b) ROUTINE HEALTH CARE SERVICES.—The Sec10 retary shall ensure that each health-care facility under the

11 direct jurisdiction of the Secretary that serves a catchment

12 area in which the number of women veterans described

13 in section 1710(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code,

14 makes it cost effective to do so shall provide routine

15 health-care services described in subsection (a) directly

16 (rather than by contract or other agreement). The Sec17 retary shall ensure that each such facility is provided ap18 propriate equipment, facilities, and staff to carry out the

19 preceding sentence and to ensure that the quality of care

20 provided under the preceding sentence is in accordance

21 with professional standards.

22 (c) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Section 302 of the Vet23 erans’ Health Care Amendments of 1983 (Public Law 98–

24 160; 97 Stat. 1004; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is repealed.
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1 SEC. 3. MAMMOGRAPHY QUALITY STANDARDS.

2 (a) PERFORMANCE OF MAMMOGRAMS.—Mammo3 grams may not be performed at a Department of Veter4 ans’ Affairs facility unless that facility is accredited for

5 that purpose by a private nonprofit organization des6 ignated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The organi7 zation designated by the Secretary under this subsection

8 shall meet the standards for accrediting bodies established

9 under section 354(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42

10 U.S.C. 263b(e)).

11 (b) QUALITY STANDARDS.—During the 120-day pe12 riod beginning on the date on which the Secretary of

13 Health and Human Services prescribes quality standards

14 under section 354(f) of the Public Health Service Act (42

15 U.S.C. 263b(f)), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in con16 sultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Serv17 ices, shall prescribe quality assurance and quality control

18 standards relating to the performance and interpretation

19 of mammograms and use of mammogram equipment and

20 facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs consistent

21 with the requirements of section 354(f)(1) (42 U.S.C.

22 263b(f)(1)) of the Public Health Service Act.

23 (c) INSPECTION OF DEPARTMENT EQUIPMENT.—The

24 Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to ensure compliance with

25 the standards prescribed under subsection (b), shall pro26 vide for periodic inspection of the equipment and facilities
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1 used by and in Department of Veterans Affairs health care

2 facilities for the performance of mammograms.

3 (d) APPLICATION OF STANDARDS TO CONTRACT

4 PROVIDERS.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall en5 sure that mammograms performed for the Department of

6 Veterans Affairs under contract with any non-Federal fa7 cility or provider conform to the quality standards pre8 scribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services

9 under section 354 of the Public Health Service Act.

10 (e) REPORT.—(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs

11 shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of

12 the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the

13 Secretary’s implementation of this section.

14 (2) The report shall be submitted not later than 120

15 days after the date on which the Secretary prescribes the

16 standards required under subsection (b).

17 (f) DEFINITION.—For the purposes of this section,

18 the term ‘‘mammogram’’ shall have the meaning given

19 such term in section 354(a)(5) of the Public Health Serv20 ice Act (42 U.S.C. 263b(a)).

21 SEC. 4. SEXUAL TRAUMA COUNSELING.

22 (a) Section 1720D(a) of title 38, United States Code,

23 is amended—
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1 (1) by striking out ‘‘December 31, 1995’’ in

2 paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘Decem3 ber 31, 1996’’;

4 (2) by striking out paragraph (2); and

5 (3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para6 graph (2) and striking out ‘‘December 31, 1994’’ in

7 that paragraph and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘De8 cember 31, 1995’’.

9 (b) Section 102(b) of the Veterans Health Care Act

10 of 1992 (Public Law 102–585; 106 Stat. 4946; 38 U.S.C.

11 1720D note) is repealed.

12 SEC. 5. COORDINATORS OF WOMEN’S SERVICES.

13 (a) FULL-TIME STATUS.—Section 108 of the Veter14 ans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–585; 106

15 Stat. 4948; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended—

16 (1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’;

17 and

18 (2) by adding at the end the following:

19 ‘‘(b) Each official who serves in the position of coordi20 nator of women’s services under subsection (a) shall serve

21 in such position on a full-time basis.’’.

22 (b) EMPOWERMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Af23 fairs shall take appropriate actions to ensure that the co24 ordinator of women’s services at each facility of the Veter25 ans Health Administration is able to carry out the respon-
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1 sibilities of a coordinator in ensuring that women veterans

2 receive quality medical care and, to the extent practicable,

3 have equal access to Veterans Administration facilities.

4 SEC. 6. PATIENT PRIVACY.

5 (a) IDENTIFICATION OF DEFICIENCIES.—The Sec6 retary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a survey of each

7 medical center under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to

8 identify deficiencies relating to patient privacy afforded to

9 women patients in the clinical areas at each such center

10 which may interfere with appropriate treatment of such

11 patients.

12 (b) CORRECTION OF DEFICIENCIES.—The Secretary

13 shall ensure that plans to correct the deficiencies identified

14 in the survey conducted under subsection (a) are developed

15 and are incorporated into the Department’s construction

16 planning processes and given a high priority.

17 (c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall

18 compile an annual inventory, by medical center, of defi19 ciencies identified under subsection (a) and of plans to

20 correct such deficiencies. The Secretary shall submit to

21 the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and

22 the House of Representatives, not later than October 1,

23 1994, and not later than October 1 each year thereafter

24 through 1996 a report on such deficiencies. The Secretary

25 shall include in such report the inventory compiled by the
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1 Secretary, the proposed corrective plans, and the status

2 of such plans.

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