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HR 1585 EAS
ment by the Department of Veterans Affairs be-
fore, during, and after separation from the
Armed Forces, including the following:
(i) A uniform, patient-focused policy to
ensure that the transition occurs without
gaps in medical care and the quality of
medical care, benefits, and services.
(ii) Procedures for the identification
and tracking of covered servicemembers dur-
ing the transition, and for the coordination
of 
care 
and 
treatment 
of 
such
servicemembers during the transition, in-
cluding a system of cooperative case man-
agement of such servicemembers by the De-
partment of Defense and the Department of
Veterans Affairs during the transition.
(iii) Procedures for the notification of
Department of Veterans Affairs liaison per-
sonnel of the commencement by covered
servicemembers of the medical evaluation
process and the physical disability evalua-
tion process.
(iv) Procedures and timelines for the
enrollment of covered servicemembers in ap-
plicable enrollment or application systems
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of the Department of Veterans with respect
to health care, disability, education, voca-
tional rehabilitation, or other benefits.
(v) Procedures to ensure the access of
covered servicemembers during the transi-
tion to vocational, educational, and reha-
bilitation benefits available through the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs.
(vi) Standards for the optimal location
of Department of Defense and Department
of Veterans Affairs liaison and case man-
agement personnel at military medical
treatment facilities, medical centers, and
other medical facilities of the Department of
Defense.
(vii) Standards and procedures for in-
tegrated medical care and management for
covered servicemembers during the transi-
tion, including procedures for the assign-
ment of medical personnel of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs to Department of
Defense facilities to participate in the needs
assessments of such servicemembers before,
during, and after their separation from
military service.
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(viii) Standards for the preparation of
detailed plans for the transition of covered
servicemembers from care and treatment by
the Department of Defense to care and
treatment by the Department of Veterans
Affairs, which plans shall be based on
standardized elements with respect to care
and treatment requirements and other ap-
plicable requirements.
(E) OTHER MATTERS.—The following addi-
tional 
matters 
with 
respect 
to 
covered
servicemembers:
(i) Access by the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs to the military health records
of covered servicemembers who are receiving
care and treatment, or are anticipating re-
ceipt of care and treatment, in Department
of Veterans Affairs health care facilities.
(ii) Requirements for utilizing, in ap-
propriate cases, a single physical examina-
tion that meets requirements of both the De-
partment of Defense and the Department of
Veterans Affairs for covered servicemembers
who are being retired, separated, or released
from military service.
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(iii) Surveys and other mechanisms to
measure patient and family satisfaction
with the provision by the Department of
Defense and the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs of care and services for covered
servicemembers, and to facilitate appro-
priate oversight by supervisory personnel of
the provision of such care and services.
(3) REPORT ON REDUCTION IN DISABILITY RAT-
INGS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit a report to the commit-
tees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of
Representatives on the numbers of instances in which
a disability rating assigned to a member of the
Armed Forces by an informal physical evaluation
board of the Department of Defense was reduced upon
appeal, and the reasons for such reduction. Such re-
port shall cover the period beginning October 7, 2001
and ending September 30, 2006, and shall be sub-
mitted to the appropriate committees of Congress by
February 1, 2008.
(e) REPORTS.—
(1) REPORT ON POLICY.—Upon the development
of the policy required by this section but not later
than January 1, 2008, the Secretary of Defense and