I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5786 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make certain information 
publicly available on one internet website of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2020 
Mr. GALLEGO (for himself, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. LAMB, Mr. JOYCE of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio, and Mr. TIMMONS) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make certain 
information publicly available on one internet website 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
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 ‘‘VA Quality Health 
Care Accountability and Transparency Act’’. 
SEC. 2. IMPROVED TRANSPARENCY BY DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) PUBLICATION OF STAFFING AND QUALITY OF 
CARE DATA.—Not later than one year after the date of 
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the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall make publicly available on the Access to Care 
internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs (or 
a successor website) the information under subsection (b). 
(b) INFORMATION INCLUDED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The information published 
on the internet website under subsection (a) shall in-
clude— 
(A) any numeric indicators relating to 
timely care, effective care, safety, and veteran- 
centered care that the Secretary collects at 
medical facilities of the Department pursuant 
to section 1703C of title 38, United States 
Code; 
(B) the staffing and vacancy information 
required by subparagraphs (A) through (D) of 
section 505(a)(1) of the VA MISSION Act of 
2018 (Public Law 115–182; 38 U.S.C. 301 
note); 
(C) the patient wait times information re-
quired by subsection (a) of section 206 of the 
Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act 
of 2014 (Public Law 113–146; 128 Stat. 
1780); and 
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(D) the patient safety, quality of care, and 
outcome measures required by subsection (b) of 
such section. 
(2) UPDATES.—The Secretary shall regularly 
update the internet website under subsection (a) to 
ensure that the information under paragraph (1) is 
the most current information required by the provi-
sions of law specified in such paragraph. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS OF INTERNET WEBSITE.—In ad-
dition to the requirements of section 206(b)(4) of the Vet-
erans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 
(Public Law 113–146; 128 Stat. 1781), the Secretary 
shall ensure that the internet website under subsection (a) 
meets the following requirements: 
(1) The internet website is directly accessible 
from— 
(A) the main homepage of the publicly ac-
cessible internet website of the Department; 
and 
(B) the main homepage of the publicly ac-
cessible internet website of each medical center 
of the Department. 
(2) Where practicable, the internet website is 
organized and searchable by each medical center of 
the Department. 
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(3) The internet website is easily understand-
able and usable by the general public. 
(d) CONSULTATION AND CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—In 
carrying out subsection (c)(3), the Secretary— 
(1) shall consult with veterans service organiza-
tions; and 
(2) may enter into a contract to design the 
internet website under subsection (a) with a com-
pany, non-profit entity, or other entity, specializing 
in website design that has substantial experience in 
presenting health care data and information in a 
easily understandable and usable manner to patients 
and consumers. 
(e) ACCURACY OF DATA.— 
(1) ANNUAL
PROCESS.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall develop and implement an annual 
process to audit a generalizable subset of the data 
contained in the internet website under subsection 
(a) to assess the accuracy and completeness of the 
data. 
(2) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
each audit under subsection (a)— 
(A) determines the extent that the medical 
record information, clinical information, data, 
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and documentation provided by each medical 
center of the Department that is used to cal-
culate the information under subsection (b) is 
accurate and complete; 
(B) identifies any deficiencies in the re-
cording of medical record information, clinical 
information, or data by medical centers of the 
Department that affects the accuracy and com-
pleteness of the information under subsection 
(b); and 
(C) provides recommendations to medical 
centers of the Department on how to— 
(i) improve the accuracy and com-
pleteness of the medical record informa-
tion, clinical information, data, and docu-
mentation that is used to calculate the in-
formation under subsection (b); and 
(ii) ensure that each medical center of 
the Department provides such information 
in a uniform manner. 
(3) INDEPENDENT
VALIDATION.—The Sec-
retary shall enter into an agreement with the Inspec-
tor General of the Department, or an entity other 
than the Department selected by the Secretary, to 
validate each audit under subsection (a). 
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(4) ANNUAL
REPORTS.—Not later than two 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report on the findings of each audit 
under paragraph (1), including the independent vali-
dation of the audit conducted under paragraph (3). 
(f) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW.—Not later 
than three years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a review of the internet website under subsection 
(a) to assess the degree to which the Secretary is com-
plying with this section and to provide recommendations 
to the Secretary on how to improve the internet website. 
Æ 
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