I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2798
To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise certain authorities relating
to management and contracting in the provision of health care services.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 15, 1995
Mr. WELDON of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise certain
authorities relating to management and contracting in
the provision of health care services.
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 ‘‘Veterans Health Care
Management and Contracting Flexibility Act of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. WAITING PERIOD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REORGA-
NIZATIONS.
Section 510(b) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) in the second sentence, by striking out ‘‘90-
day period of continuous session of Congress follow-
ing’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘45-day period be-
ginning on’’; and
(2) by striking out the third sentence.
SEC. 3. REPEAL OF LIMITATIONS ON CONTRACTS FOR CON-
VERSION OF PERFORMANCE OF ACTIVITIES
OF DEPARTMENT HEALTH-CARE FACILITIES.
Section 8110 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by striking out subsection (c).
SEC. 4. REVISION OF AUTHORITY TO SHARE MEDICAL FA-
CILITIES, EQUIPMENT, AND INFORMATION.
(a) STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.—The text of section
8151 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘It is the purpose of this subchapter to improve the
quality of health care provided veterans under this title
by authorizing the Secretary to enter into agreements with
health-care providers in order to share health-care re-
sources with, and receive health-care resources from, such
providers while ensuring no diminution of services to vet-
erans. Among other things, it is intended by these means
to strengthen the medical programs at Department facili-
ties located in small cities or rural areas which facilities
are remote from major medical centers.’’.
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 8152 of such title is
amended—
(1) by striking out paragraphs (1), (2) and (3)
and inserting in lieu thereof the following new para-
graphs (1) and (2):
‘‘(1) The term ‘health-care resource’ includes
hospital care (as that term is defined in section
1701(5) of this title), any other health-care service,
and any health-care support or administrative re-
source.
‘‘(2) The term ‘health-care providers’ includes
health-care plans and insurers and any organiza-
tions, institutions, or other entities or individuals
that furnish health-care resources.’’; and
(2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (3).
(c) AUTHORITY TO SECURE HEALTH-CARE RE-
SOURCES.—(1) Section 8153 of such title is amended—
(A) by striking out paragraph (1) of subsection
(a) and inserting in lieu thereof the following new
paragraph (1):
‘‘(1) The Secretary may, when the Secretary deter-
mines it to be necessary in order to secure health-care re-
sources which otherwise might not be feasibly available or
to utilize effectively health-care resources, make arrange-
ments, by contract or other form of agreement, for the
mutual use, or exchange of use, of health-care resources
between Department health-care facilities and non-De-
partment health-care providers. The Secretary may make
such arrangements without regard to any law or regula-
tion relating to competitive procedures.’’; and
(B) by striking out subsection (e).
(2)(A) The section heading of such section is amend-
ed to read as follows:
‘‘§ 8153. Sharing of health-care resources’’.
(B) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter
81 of such title is amended by striking out the item relat-
ing to section 8153 and inserting in lieu thereof the follow-
ing new item:
‘‘8153. Sharing of health-care resources.’’.
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