SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PRO-
GRAM ON ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—During the five-year period 
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a pilot pro-
gram under which the Secretary shall ensure that for each 
veteran seeking primary care from a covered medical facil-
ity, the standard for access to care, determined from the 
date on which the veteran contacts the Department seek-
ing an appointment until the date on which a visit with 
a primary-care provider is completed, is 30 days. 
(b) COVERED FACILITY.—For purposes of the pilot 
program under this section, a covered medical facility is 
a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
in Veterans Integrated Service Network 8. 
(c) REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE.—The Secretary shall 
periodically review the performance of covered medical fa-
cilities compared to the standard established under sub-
section (a). The Secretary shall submit to the Committees 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives an annual report providing an assessment of 
the Department’s performance in meeting that standard. 
(d) PROVISION OF CARE AT NON-DEPARTMENT FA-
CILITIES.— 
(1) PROVISION OF CARE.—Effective on the first 
day of the first fiscal year beginning after the date 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
22:51 Mar 14, 2008
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5622.IH
H5622
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
of the enactment of this section, in a case in which 
the Secretary is unable to meet the standard for ac-
cess to care under subsection (a) with respect to a 
veteran enrolled in the patient enrollment system of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 
1705, of title 38, United States Code, the Secretary 
shall use the authority of section 1703(a) of that 
title to furnish health care and services for that vet-
eran in a non-Department facility. In any such 
case— 
(A) payments by the Secretary may not ex-
ceed the reimbursement rate for similar out-
patient services paid by the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services under part B of the medi-
care 
program 
(as 
defined 
in 
section 
1781(d)(4)(A) of that title); and 
(B) the non-Department facility may not 
bill the veteran for any difference between the 
facility’s billed charges and the amount paid by 
the Secretary under paragraph (1). 
(2) VETERAN CHOICE TO RECEIVE CARE AT DE-
PARTMENT FACILITY.—A veteran for whom the Sec-
retary furnishes health care or services at a non-De-
partment facility under paragraph (1) may, after 30 
days of receiving such care or services at the non- 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
22:51 Mar 14, 2008
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5622.IH
H5622
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
Department facility, choose to receive such care or 
services from a Department facility, if available. If 
a veteran so chooses, the veteran shall submit to the 
Secretary notice in writing of that choice. 
(e) CONTINUITY OF CARE.—For the purpose of pro-
viding for continuity of care, the Secretary shall develop 
a form to be used by veterans to authorize the Secretary 
to obtain any records created in connection with the vet-
eran’s receipt of care from a non-Department facility. 
(f) QUARTERLY REPORTS.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 60 days 
after the end of a calendar-year quarter, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Com-
mittees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
House of Representatives a report for that calendar- 
year quarter on the experience of the Department 
during the quarter covered by the report with re-
spect to waiting times for veterans seeking appoint-
ments at a covered facility. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report under subpara-
graph (A) shall include— 
(A) the total number of veterans waiting 
by the following categories: 
(i) Those waiting under 30 days for 
scheduled appointments. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
22:51 Mar 14, 2008
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5622.IH
H5622
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
(ii) Those waiting over 30 days but 
less than 60 days. 
(iii) Those waiting over 60 days but 
less than 4 months. 
(iv) Those waiting over 4 months but 
who cannot be scheduled within 6 months. 
(v) Any remaining veterans who can-
not be scheduled, with the reasons there-
for. 
(B) For each category set forth in sub-
paragraph (A), distinctions between— 
(i) waiting times for primary care and 
specialty care; and 
(ii) waiting times for veterans who are 
newly enrolled versus those who were en-
rolled before October 1, 2001. 
(C) The number of veterans who have en-
rolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs 
health care system but have not since such en-
rollment sought care at a Department medical 
facility. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The authority to conduct a pilot 
program under this section shall terminate on the date 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
22:51 Mar 14, 2008
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5622.IH
H5622
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
that is five years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
22:51 Mar 14, 2008
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5622.IH
H5622
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS