FQHC and in accordance with the limitations on the 
scope of services applicable under section 330 of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 245b)— 
(A) behavioral and mental health and sub-
stance abuse services; 
(B) women’s health services, including 
OBGYN services; 
(C) audiology; 
(D) HIV and hepatitis C treatment; 
(E) dental care; 
(F) optometry and ophthalmology; 
(G) pain management; 
(H) internal medicine; 
(I) cancer detection and screening; 
(J) podiatry; and 
(K) urgent care; 
(14) the FQHC agrees to provide additional 
services to referred patients to enable such patients 
to access medical services furnished under the dem-
onstration program, including outreach and trans-
portation services; 
(15) the Secretary agrees to provide timely re-
imbursement to the FQHC for medical services, pro-
vided to referred patients at the applicable rate for 
the State in which the FQHC is located under sec-
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tion 1902(bb) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396a); 
(16) the FQHC agrees to undergo periodic au-
dits in accordance with section 330 of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) and title XIX 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); 
and 
(17) to the extent practicable, the medical cen-
ter agrees to provide information to patients on the 
availability in such area of medical services through 
the participation of the FQHC in the demonstration 
program, including information on the particular 
services that are available from the FQHC and on 
the extent to which the patient will be required to 
make payments for such service. 
(c) SELECTION CRITERIA.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to select FQHCs 
with which to enter into contracts under subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall develop selection criteria. 
Such selection criteria shall— 
(A) take into account geographic and de-
mographic differences across catchment areas, 
as defined by the Veterans Health Administra-
tion; 
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(B) provide for the selection of one or 
more FQHCs that have not fewer than two 
service sites, including one service site in a 
highly rural area; 
(C) provide for the selection of one or more 
FQHCs that— 
(i) have a large number of service 
sites; 
(ii) have a service area— 
(I) in which a significant number 
of veterans reside; 
(II) that includes both rural and 
urban areas, and one or more Depart-
ment medical centers; and 
(III) that is located within 100 
miles of a military base; 
(iii) is participating in a network 
that— 
(I) provides connectivity with re-
spect to electronic health records; and 
(II) includes one or more Depart-
ment medical centers as participants; 
and 
(iv) has engaged in outreach to one or 
more Department medical centers toward 
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collaborating on the provision of services to 
veterans; 
(D) require that a selected FQHC has the 
capability to assist veterans in navigating the 
benefits available to them under the laws ad-
ministered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 
and 
(E) require a selected FQHC to commit to 
establishing a program to educate health pro-
fessionals employed by the FQHC on cultural 
competency in providing services to veterans. 
(2) APPROVAL OF CERTAIN FQHCS.—Each con-
tract entered into under subsection (b) shall specify 
the date on which the FQHC agrees to begin pro-
viding medical services to patients referred by a 
medical provider at a Department of Veterans Af-
fairs medical center under the contract. Such date 
may not be later than 180 days after the date on 
which the Secretary and the FQHC enter into the 
contract. 
(d) COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
AND HUMAN SERVICES.—In carrying out the demonstra-
tion program under this section, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall consult with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (acting through the Administrator of the 
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Health Resources and Services Administration), who shall 
provide to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs information 
on the capacity of FQHCs to serve veterans. With respect 
to FQHCs that are participating in such demonstration 
program, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
may, subject to that availability of appropriations for such 
purpose, make payments to such FQHCs to increase such 
capacity. 
(e) PATIENT ENROLLMENT.— 
(1) 
NON-ENROLLED
VETERANS.—Notwith-
standing subsection (c) of section 1705 of title 38, 
United States Code, the Secretary shall develop a 
process to refer veterans who are not enrolled in the 
patient enrollment system of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs under such section to an FQHC for 
the provision of medical services to the veteran 
under the pilot program. 
(2) FACILITATION OF ENROLLMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall develop a process by which FQHCs that 
have entered into a contract with the Secretary 
under subsection (b) are able to facilitate the enroll-
ment of veterans referred to the FQHC under para-
graph (1) in such patient enrollment system. 
(f) ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS.—The Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall provide notice to any veteran ac-
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cepting a referral to an FQHC under the demonstration 
program that such acceptance shall serve as consent for 
the Department medical center and the FQHC to share 
electronic health records unless the veteran elects not to 
authorize such sharing of records using a form provided 
by the Secretary for such purpose. 
(g) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed as affecting— 
(1) any authority or obligation of the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs to furnish medical services under 
chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, to a pa-
tient who is referred to an FQHC under the dem-
onstration program; 
(2) the eligibility of any individual to receive 
medical services under chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code; or 
(3) section 330 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 254b). 
(h) FUNDING.—No additional amounts are author-
ized to be appropriated to carry out this section. The Sec-
retary shall carry out the demonstration program using 
amounts otherwise available to the Secretary for Medical 
Community Care for fiscal years 2018 through 2022. 
(i) DURATION; TERMINATION.— 
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(1) DURATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs may enter into contracts under the demonstra-
tion program during the three-year period beginning 
on the date of the enactment of this Act. Such pe-
riod may be extended or made permanent at the dis-
cretion of the Secretary. 
(2) PROVISION OF CARE.—If the Secretary ter-
minates the demonstration program under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall ensure that patients receiv-
ing care or services through a FQHC pursuant to a 
contract entered into under subsection (b) are able 
to receive medical services provided by the FQHC 
under such contract until the conclusion of the rel-
evant episode of care. 
(j) DEFINITION OF FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH 
CENTER.—The term ‘‘Federally Qualified Health Center’’ 
means an entity receiving a grant under section 330 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) or any 
other entity described in section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social 
Security Act. 
Æ 
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