Improving Specialty Care for Women Veterans Act

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program for the recruitment, retention, and training of providers of specialty care for women veterans, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Specialty Care for Women Veterans Act 2. Authority for Department of Veterans Affairs program on recruitment, retention, and training of specialty care providers for women veterans (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out a program, including a pilot program, for the recruitment, retention, and training of providers of specialty care for former members of the Armed Forces who are women. (b) Participants Participation in a program under subsection (a) shall be available to the following: (1) Individuals serving in a medical internship or residency program. (2) Nurses and physicians who are covered providers. (c) Specialty care areas; incentives for recruitment In carrying out a program under subsection (a), the Secretary may— (1) target for recruitment individuals with expertise in such specialty care areas as the Secretary may determine appropriate for purposes of the program; and (2) offer to individuals targeted for recruitment under the program such incentives as the Secretary determines appropriate to facilitate the recruitment and retention of such individuals, including monetary incentives and incentives relating to the reduction of education debt under the Education Debt Reduction program authorized under section 7681 of title 38, United States Code. (d) Training and support for providers (1) Training and support In carrying out a program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall furnish to each individual recruited under the program such training and support as the Secretary determines necessary with respect to the unique needs of women veterans, including with respect to mental and behavioral health conditions relating to the service of women veterans in the Armed Forces. (2) Contracts with non-Department entities The Secretary may only enter into a contract with a non-Department entity for such entity to provide training or support under paragraph (1) if, not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary enters into the contract, the Secretary submits to the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a notification regarding the contract. (e) Relationship to appointment scheduling The Secretary shall— (1) make available to veterans enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, information indicating whether a covered provider has participated in a program under subsection (a); and (2) take such steps as may be necessary to improve the timeliness of appointments scheduled by such veterans with covered providers who have so participated, including by waiving requirements of the Department relating to wait times for such appointments. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) The term covered provider (A) who is an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs; or (B) who provides medical care or services to veterans under the Veterans Community Care program. (2) The term Veterans Community Care program

Summary: Improving Specialty Care for Women Veterans Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a program for the recruitment, retention, and training of specialty care providers for former members of the Armed Forces who are women. Individuals serving in a medical internship or residency program or nurses and physicians who are covered providers (i.e., employees of the VA or persons providing care under the Veterans Community Care Program) may participate in the program. The VA may target individuals with expertise in certain specialty care areas for recruitment. Additionally, the VA may offer targeted individuals appropriate incentives (e.g., monetary incentives). The VA must provide individuals participating in the program with training and support related to the unique needs of women veterans. Finally, the VA must (1) provide veterans enrolled in the VA health care system with information that indicates whether a provider has participated in the program, and (2) improve the timeliness of appointments scheduled with such providers.