I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1058 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role of podiatrists 

in the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 14, 2017 

Mr. WENSTRUP (for himself, Mr. ABRAHAM, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, 

and Mr. RUIZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role 

of podiatrists in the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

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 ‘‘VA Provider Equity 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ROLE OF PODIATRISTS IN DEPARTMENT OF VET7 ERANS AFFAIRS. 

8 (a) INCLUSION AS PHYSICIAN.— 

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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 74 

2 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add3 ing at the end the following new section: 

4 ‘‘§ 7413. Treatment of podiatrists 

5 ‘‘For purposes of this chapter, the term ‘physician’ 

6 includes a podiatrist.’’. 

7 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec8 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 

9 by inserting after the item relating to section 7412 

10 the following new item: 

‘‘7413. Treatment of podiatrists.’’. 

11 (3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 

12 7401(1) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘Physi13 cians, dentists, podiatrists,’’ and inserting ‘‘Physi14 cians, dentists,’’. 

15 (b) QUALIFICATIONS.—Section 7402(b) of such title 

16 is amended— 

17 (1) in paragraph (1)— 

18 (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘or 

19 of doctor of osteopathy’’ and inserting ‘‘, doctor 

20 of osteopathy, or doctor of podiatric medicine’’; 

21 and 

22 (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ‘‘po23 diatry,’’ after ‘‘surgery,’’; 

24 (2) by striking paragraph (5); and 

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1 (3) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through 

2 (14) as paragraphs (5) through (13), respectively. 

3 (c) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—Section 7403(a)(2) 

4 of such title is amended— 

5 (1) by striking subparagraph (C); and 

6 (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) 

7 through (H) as subparagraphs (C) through (G), re8 spectively. 

9 (d) MODIFICATION OF PAY GRADE.— 

10 (1) GRADE.—The list in section 7404(b) of 

11 such title is amended by striking ‘‘PODIATRIST,’’. 

12 (2) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by 

13 paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to a pay pe14 riod of the Department of Veterans Affairs begin15 ning on or after the date that is 30 days after the 

16 date of the enactment of this Act. 

17 (e) CONTRACTS FOR SCARCE SERVICES.—Section 

18 7409(a) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘podia19 trists,’’. 

20 (f) PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION.—Section 7421(b) 

21 of such title is amended— 

22 (1) by striking paragraph (3); and 

23 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through 

24 (8) as paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively. 

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1 (g) MEDICAL DIRECTORS.—Section 7306(a)(4) of 

2 such title is amended by inserting ‘‘, doctor of podiatric 

3 medicine,’’ after ‘‘doctor of medicine’’. 

4 (h) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 

5 section shall apply with respect to podiatrists employed by 

6 the Department of Veterans Affairs as of the date of the 

7 enactment of this Act or who are appointed on or after 

8 such date. 

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