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 Veter-
ans Affairs relating to women veterans, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Women Veterans
Health Improvements Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR WOMEN.
(a) ENSURING PROVISION OF SERVICES.—The Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that each health-
care facility under the direct jurisdiction of the Secretary
is able, through services made available either by individ-
used by and in Department of Veterans Affairs health care
facilities for the performance of mammograms.
(d) APPLICATION
OF STANDARDS
TO CONTRACT
PROVIDERS.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall en-
sure that mammograms performed for the Department of
Veterans Affairs under contract with any non-Federal fa-
cility or provider conform to the quality standards pre-
scribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services
under section 354 of the Public Health Service Act.
(e) REPORT.—(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of
the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the
Secretary’s implementation of this section.
(2) The report shall be submitted not later than 120
days after the date on which the Secretary prescribes the
standards required under subsection (b).
(f) DEFINITION.—For the purposes of this section,
the term ‘‘mammogram’’ shall have the meaning given
such term in section 354(a)(5) of the Public Health Serv-
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 263b(a)).
SEC. 4. SEXUAL TRAUMA COUNSELING.
(a) Section 1720D(a) of title 38, United States Code,
is amended—
(1) by striking out ‘‘December 31, 1995’’ in
paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘Decem-
ber 31, 1996’’;
(2) by striking out paragraph (2); and
(3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (2) and striking out ‘‘December 31, 1994’’ in
that paragraph and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘De-
cember 31, 1995’’.
(b) Section 102(b) of the Veterans Health Care Act
of 1992 (Public Law 102–585; 106 Stat. 4946; 38 U.S.C.
1720D note) is repealed.
SEC. 5. COORDINATORS OF WOMEN’S SERVICES.
(a) FULL-TIME STATUS.—Section 108 of the Veter-
ans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–585; 106
Stat. 4948; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’;
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(b) Each official who serves in the position of coordi-
nator of women’s services under subsection (a) shall serve
in such position on a full-time basis.’’.
(b) EMPOWERMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall take appropriate actions to ensure that the co-
ordinator of women’s services at each facility of the Veter-
ans Health Administration is able to carry out the respon-
sibilities of a coordinator in ensuring that women veterans
receive quality medical care and, to the extent practicable,
have equal access to Veterans Administration facilities.
SEC. 6. PATIENT PRIVACY.
(a) IDENTIFICATION OF DEFICIENCIES.—The Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a survey of each
medical center under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to
identify deficiencies relating to patient privacy afforded to
women patients in the clinical areas at each such center
which may interfere with appropriate treatment of such
patients.
(b) CORRECTION OF DEFICIENCIES.—The Secretary
shall ensure that plans to correct the deficiencies identified
in the survey conducted under subsection (a) are developed
and are incorporated into the Department’s construction
planning processes and given a high priority.
(c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall
compile an annual inventory, by medical center, of defi-
ciencies identified under subsection (a) and of plans to
correct such deficiencies. The Secretary shall submit to
the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and
the House of Representatives, not later than October 1,
1994, and not later than October 1 each year thereafter
through 1996 a report on such deficiencies. The Secretary
shall include in such report the inventory compiled by the
Secretary, the proposed corrective plans, and the status
of such plans.
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