I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1783 
To revive and expand the Intermediate Care Technician Pilot Program of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 29, 2017 
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri (for himself, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Ms. ROYBAL- 
ALLARD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed 
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To revive and expand the Intermediate Care Technician Pilot 
Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Improving Veterans 
Access to Quality Care Act of 2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF AVAILABILITY OF PROSTHETIC AND 
ORTHOTIC CARE FOR VETERANS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION OF ADVANCED 
DEGREE
PROGRAMS
TO
EXPAND
AVAILABILITY
OF 
CARE.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall work with 
institutions of higher education to develop partnerships for 
the establishment or expansion of programs of advanced 
degrees in prosthetics and orthotics in order to improve 
and enhance the availability of high quality prosthetic and 
orthotic care for veterans. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the effective date specified in subsection (d), 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a 
report setting forth a plan for carrying out sub-
section (a). 
(2) DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN.—The Secretary 
shall develop the plan required under paragraph (1) 
in consultation with veterans service organizations, 
institutions of higher education with accredited de-
gree programs in prosthetics and orthotics, and rep-
resentatives of the prosthetics and orthotics field. 
(c) FUNDING.— 
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(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal 
year 2017 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
$5,000,000 to carry out this section. 
(2) AVAILABILITY.—The amount authorized to 
be appropriated by paragraph (1) shall remain avail-
able for expenditure until September 30, 2020. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 
on the date that is one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. PROVISION OF FULL PRACTICE AUTHORITY FOR 
ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES, 
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, AND OTHER HEALTH 
CARE PROFESSIONALS OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) FULL PRACTICE AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall provide full practice authority to ad-
vanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, 
and such other licensed health care professionals of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs as is consistent with the 
education, training, and certification of such health care 
professionals. 
(b) INAPPLICABILITY OF STATE LIMITATIONS.—Full 
practice authority shall be provided by the Secretary under 
subsection (a) to health care professionals described in 
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that subsection without regard to any limitation that 
would otherwise be imposed on the health care practice 
of such professionals by a licensing or credentialing body 
of a State or otherwise under State law. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘advanced practice registered 
nurse’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
5509(e)(1) of Public Law 111–148 (42 U.S.C. 
1395ww note). 
(2) The term ‘‘full practice authority’’ means— 
(A) with respect to an advanced practice 
registered nurse, the full scope of practice for 
the area of nursing practiced by the advanced 
practice registered nurse as determined by the 
national professional association or organiza-
tion, a successor association or organization, or 
any other appropriate entity as determined by 
the Secretary for such area of nursing; 
(B) with respect to a physician assistant, 
the full scope of practice for the area of medi-
cine practiced by the physician assistant as de-
termined by the national professional associa-
tion or organization, a successor association or 
organization, or any other appropriate entity as 
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determined by the Secretary for such area of 
medicine; and 
(C) with respect to any other licensed 
health care professional not specified in sub-
paragraph (A) or (B), the full scope of practice 
for the area of medicine practiced by the li-
censed health care professional as determined 
by the national professional association or orga-
nization, a successor association or organiza-
tion, or any other appropriate entity as deter-
mined by the Secretary for such area of medi-
cine. 
(3) The term ‘‘physician assistant’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 1861(aa)(5)(A) 
of 
the 
Social 
Security 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1395x(aa)(5)(A)). 
SEC. 
4. 
TRANSFER 
OF 
HEALTH 
CARE 
PROVIDER 
CREDENTIALING DATA FROM SECRETARY OF 
DEFENSE TO SECRETARY OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In a case in which the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs hires a covered health care provider, 
the Secretary of Defense shall, after receiving a request 
from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the 
credentialing data of the Secretary of Defense relating to 
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such health care provider, transfer to the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs such credentialing data. 
(b) COVERED HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.—For pur-
poses of this section, a covered provider is a health care 
provider who— 
(1) is or was employed by the Secretary of De-
fense; 
(2) provides or provided health care related 
services as part of such employment; and 
(3) was credentialed by the Secretary of De-
fense. 
(c) POLICIES AND REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall estab-
lish such policies and promulgate such regulations as may 
be necessary to carry out this section. 
(d) CREDENTIALING DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘credentialing’’ means the systematic process of 
screening and evaluating qualifications and other creden-
tials, including licensure, required education, relevant 
training and experience, and current competence and 
health status. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 
on the date that is one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
Æ 
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