II 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2063

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a demonstration 

project on priorities in the scheduling of appointments of veterans for 

health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 10, 2004

Mr. CONRAD (for himself, Mr. GRAHAM of Florida, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. 

AKAKA, and Mr. JOHNSON) introduced the following bill; which was read 

twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a demonstration project on priorities in the scheduling 

of appointments of veterans for health care through the 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 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,
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1 SECTION 1. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ON PRIORITIES IN 

2 SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS OF VET3 ERANS FOR HEALTH CARE THROUGH THE 

4 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

5 (a) PROJECT REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Veterans 

6 Affairs shall carry out a demonstration project to assess 

7 the feasibility and advisability of providing for priorities 

8 in the scheduling of appointments of veterans for health 

9 care through the Department of Veterans Affairs in ac10 cordance with the following: 

11 (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs Wait12 ing Time for Appointments goals (30–30–20) of 

13 2000. 

14 (2) The provisions of the Veterans Health Ad15 ministration directive entitled ‘‘Priority For Out16 patient Medical Services and Inpatient Hospital 

17 Care’’ (VHA Directive 2002–059). 

18 (3) The provisions of the Veterans Health Ad19 ministration directive entitled ‘‘Priority Scheduling 

20 for Outpatient Medical Services and Inpatient Hos21 pital Care for Service Connected Veterans’’ (VHA 

22 Directive 2003–062), dated October 23, 2003. 

23 (b) PERIOD OF PROJECT.—The Secretary shall carry 

24 out the demonstration project during the two-year period 

25 beginning on October 1, 2004. 
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1 (c) LOCATIONS OF PROJECT.—(1) The Secretary 

2 shall carry out the demonstration project throughout each 

3 of three Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) 

4 selected by the Secretary for purposes of the project. 

5 (2) In selecting Veterans Integrated Service Net6 works under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure 

7 that the project is carried out in urban, rural, and highly 

8 rural areas. 

9 (d) PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND AUTHORITIES.—

10 (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), in car11 rying out the demonstration project the Secretary shall 

12 schedule appointments for veterans for outpatient medical 

13 services and inpatient hospital care through the Depart14 ment in accordance with the goals and directives referred 

15 to in subsection (a). 

16 (2) The veterans covered by the demonstration 

17 project shall include any veterans residing in a Veterans 

18 Integrated Service Network covered by the project, wheth19 er new or current enrollees with the Department and in20 cluding veterans with service-connected disabilities and 

21 veterans with non-service-connected disabilities. 

22 (3) The Secretary shall schedule each appointment 

23 under the demonstration project in a Department facility 

24 unless, as determined by the Secretary—
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1 (A) the cost of scheduling the appointment in 

2 a Department facility exceeds the cost of scheduling 

3 the appointment in a non-Department facility to an 

4 unreasonable degree; or 

5 (B) the scheduling of the appointment in a non6 Department facility is required for medical or other 

7 reasons. 

8 (4) In carrying out the demonstration project, the 

9 Secretary may utilize the Preferred Pricing Program 

10 (PPP) of the Department, or similar programs or authori11 ties, in the locations covered by the project. 

12 (5) In this subsection, the terms ‘‘Department facil13 ity’’ and ‘‘non-Department facility’’ have the meaning 

14 given such terms in section 1701 of title 38, United States 

15 Code. 

16 (e) ANNUAL REPORTS ON WAITING TIMES FOR AP17 POINTMENTS FOR CARE AND SERVICES.—(1) Not later 

18 than January 31 each year, the Secretary shall submit to 

19 the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 

20 the House of Representatives a report on the waiting 

21 times of veterans for appointments for health care and 

22 services from the Department during the preceding year. 

23 (2) Each report under paragraph (1) shall specify, 

24 for the year covered by the report, the following: 
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1 (A) A tabulation of the waiting time of veterans 

2 for appointments with the Department for each cat3 egory of primary or specialty care or services fur4 nished by the Department, broken out by particular 

5 Department facility and by Veterans Integrated 

6 Service Network. 

7 (B) An identification of the categories of spe8 cialty care or services for which there are lengthy 

9 delays for appointments at particular Department 

10 facilities or throughout particular Veterans Inte11 grated Service Networks, and, for each category so 

12 identified, recommendations for the reallocation of 

13 personnel, financial, and other resources to address 

14 such delays. 

15 (f) REPORT ON PROJECT.—The report under sub16 section (e) in 2007 shall also include information on the 

17 demonstration project under this section. That informa18 tion shall include—

19 (1) a description of the project, including the 

20 Veterans Integrated Service Networks selected for 

21 the project, the number of veterans covered by the 

22 project, the number and timeliness of appointments 

23 scheduled under the project, and the costs of car24 rying out the project; 
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1 (2) an assessment of the feasibility and advis2 ability of implementing the project nationwide; and 

3 (3) such other information with respect to the 

4 project as the Secretary considers appropriate.

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