H. R. 2617—961 
for Health of the Department shall submit to the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives the plan devel-
oped under paragraph (1). 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMUNITY
CARE
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Community 
Care Program’’ means the Veterans Community Care Program 
under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code. 
(2) REALIGNMENT.—The term ‘‘realignment’’, with respect 
to a facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs, includes— 
(A) any action that changes the number of facilities 
or relocates services, functions, or personnel positions; and 
(B) strategic collaborations between the Department 
and non-Federal Government entities, including tribal 
organizations and Urban Indian Organizations. 
(3) THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Third Party 
Administrator’’ means an entity that manages a provider net-
work and performs administrative services related to such net-
work within the Veterans Community Care Program under 
section 1703 of title 38, United States Code. 
(4) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘tribal organization’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
5304). 
(5) URBAN INDIAN ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘Urban Indian 
Organization’’ has the meaning given that term in section 4 
of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603). 
CHAPTER 3—COMMUNITY CARE SELF-SCHEDULING 
PILOT PROGRAM 
SEC. 131. DEFINITIONS. 
In this chapter: 
(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The term 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 
(2) COVERED VETERAN.—The term ‘‘covered veteran’’ means 
a covered veteran under section 1703(b) of title 38, United 
States Code. 
(3) PILOT PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘pilot program’’ means the 
pilot program required under section 132(a). 
(4) VETERANS COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Vet-
erans Community Care Program’’ means the program to furnish 
hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to 
covered veterans under section 1703 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 
132. 
PILOT 
PROGRAM 
ESTABLISHING 
COMMUNITY 
CARE 
APPOINTMENT SELF-SCHEDULING TECHNOLOGY. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall commence a pilot program under which covered veterans 
eligible for hospital care, medical services, or extended care services 
under subsection (d)(1) of section 1703 of title 38, United States
H. R. 2617—962 
Code, may use a technology that has the capabilities specified 
in section 133(a) to schedule and confirm medical appointments 
with health care providers participating in the Veterans Community 
Care Program. 
(b) EXPANSION
OR DEVELOPMENT
OF NEW TECHNOLOGY.—In 
carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary may expand capabili-
ties of an existing appointment self-scheduling technology of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs or purchase a new appointment 
self-scheduling technology. 
(c) COMPETITION.—In contracting for the expansion of capabili-
ties of an existing appointment self-scheduling technology of the 
Department or the purchase of a new appointment self-scheduling 
technology under the pilot program, the Secretary shall comply 
with section 3301 of title 41, United States Code, and award any 
such contract not later than 270 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(d) SELECTION OF LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall select not 
fewer than two Veterans Integrated Services Networks of the 
Department in which to carry out the pilot program. 
(e) DURATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
Secretary shall carry out the pilot program for an 18-month 
period. 
(2) EXTENSION.—The Secretary may extend the duration 
of the pilot program and may expand the selection of Veterans 
Integrated Services Networks under subsection (d) if the Sec-
retary determines that the pilot program is reducing the wait 
times of veterans seeking hospital care, medical services, or 
extended care services under the Veterans Community Care 
Program. 
(f) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall ensure that veterans 
participating in the Veterans Community Care Program in Veterans 
Integrated Services Networks in which the pilot program is being 
carried out are informed about the pilot program. 
SEC. 133. APPOINTMENT SELF-SCHEDULING CAPABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
ensure that the appointment self-scheduling technology used in 
the pilot program includes the following capabilities: 
(1) Capability to self-schedule, modify, and cancel appoint-
ments directly online for primary care, specialty care, and 
mental health care under the Veterans Community Care Pro-
gram with regard to each category of eligibility under section 
1703(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code. 
(2) Capability to support appointments for the provision 
of health care under the Veterans Community Care Program 
regardless of whether such care is provided in person or through 
telehealth services. 
(3) Not fewer than two of the following capabilities: 
(A) Capability to view appointment availability in real 
time to the extent practicable. 
(B) Capability to load relevant patient information from 
the Decision Support Tool of the Department or any other 
information technology system of the Department used to 
determine the eligibility of veterans for health care under 
section 1703(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code.
H. R. 2617—963 
(C) Capability to search for providers and facilities 
participating in the Veterans Community Care Program 
based on distance from the residential address of a veteran. 
(D) Capability to filter provider results by clinical 
expertise, ratings, reviews, sex, languages spoken, and 
other criteria as determined by the Secretary. 
(E) Capability to provide telephonic and electronic con-
tact information for all such providers that do not offer 
online scheduling at the time. 
(F) Capability to store and print authorization letters 
for veterans for health care under the Veterans Community 
Care Program. 
(G) Capability to provide prompts or reminders to vet-
erans to schedule initial appointments or follow-up appoint-
ments. 
(H) Capability to be used 24 hours per day, seven 
days per week. 
(I) Capability to ensure veterans who self-schedule 
appointments through the appointment self-scheduling 
technology have scheduled such appointment with a pro-
vider possessing the required specialty and clinical exper-
tise. 
(J) Capability to integrate with the Veterans Health 
Information Systems and Technology Architecture of the 
Department and the health record deployed by the Elec-
tronic Health Record Modernization program, or any suc-
cessor information technology system or health record of 
the Department. 
(K) Capability to integrate with information technology 
systems of Third Party Administrators. 
(b) INDEPENDENT VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall evaluate whether the appointment self-scheduling 
technology used in the pilot program includes the capabilities 
required under subsection (a) and successfully performs such 
capabilities. 
(2) BRIEFING.—Not later than 30 days after the date on 
which the Comptroller General completes the evaluation under 
paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall brief the appro-
priate congressional committees on such evaluation. 
(c) CERTIFICATION.—Not later than 18 months after commence-
ment of the pilot program, the Secretary shall certify to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives whether the 
appointment self-scheduling technology used in the pilot program 
and any other patient self-scheduling technology developed or used 
by the Department of Veterans Affairs to schedule appointments 
under the Veterans Community Care Program as of the date of 
the certification includes the capabilities required under subsection 
(a). 
(d) THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘Third Party Administrator’’ means an entity that manages 
a provider network and performs administrative services related 
to such network within the Veterans Community Care Program 
under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code.
H. R. 2617—964 
SEC. 134. REPORT. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a report that includes— 
(1) an assessment by the Secretary of the pilot program 
during the 180-day period preceding the date of the report, 
including— 
(A) the cost of the pilot program; 
(B) the volume of usage of the appointment self-sched-
uling technology under the pilot program; 
(C) the quality of the pilot program; 
(D) patient satisfaction with the pilot program; 
(E) benefits to veterans of using the pilot program; 
(F) the feasibility of allowing self-scheduling for dif-
ferent specialties under the pilot program; 
(G) participation in the pilot program by health care 
providers under the Veterans Community Care Program; 
and 
(H) such other findings and conclusions with respect 
to the pilot program as the Secretary considers appropriate; 
and 
(2) such recommendations as the Secretary considers appro-
priate regarding— 
(A) extension of the pilot program to other or all Vet-
erans Integrated Service Networks of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and 
(B) making the pilot program permanent. 
CHAPTER 4—ADMINISTRATION OF NON-DEPARTMENT 
CARE 
SEC. 141. CREDENTIALING VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PRO-
VIDERS OF NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 
(a) CREDENTIALING VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
1703E the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1703F. Credentialing verification requirements for pro-
viders of non-Department health care services 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure that Third Party 
Administrators and credentials verification organizations comply 
with the requirements specified in subsection (b) to help ensure 
certain health care providers are excluded from providing non- 
Department health care services. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED.—The Secretary shall require 
Third Party Administrators and credentials verification organiza-
tions to carry out the following: 
‘‘(1) Hold and maintain an active credential verification 
accreditation from a national health care accreditation body. 
‘‘(2) Conduct initial verification of provider history and 
license sanctions for all States and United States territories 
for a period of time— 
‘‘(A) that includes the period before the provider began 
providing non-Department health care services; and