(2) any long-term medical consequences of post-
traumatic stress disorder;
(3) whether particular subgroups of veterans
are at greater risk of chronic or more severe prob-
lems with such disorder; and
(4) the services used by veterans who have post-
traumatic stress disorder and the effect of those
services on the course of the disorder.
(d) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit to the
Committees of Veterans Affairs of the Senate and House
of Representatives a report on the results of the study
under this section. The report shall be submitted no later
than October 1, 2004.
TITLE IV—MEDICAL
ADMINISTRATION
SEC. 401. PILOT PROGRAM FOR COORDINATION OF HOS-
PITAL BENEFITS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 17 is amended by insert-
ing after section 1725 the following new section:
§ 1725A. Coordination of hospital benefits: pilot pro-
gram
‘‘(a) The Secretary may carry out a pilot program
in not more than four geographic areas of the United
States to improve access to, and coordination of, inpatient
care of eligible veterans. Under the pilot program, the Sec-
retary, subject to subsection (b), may pay certain costs
described in subsection (b) for which an eligible veteran
would otherwise be personally liable. The authority to
carry out the pilot program shall expire on September 30,
2005.
‘‘(b) In carrying out the program described in sub-
section (a), the Secretary may pay the costs authorized
under this section for hospital care and medical services
furnished on an inpatient basis in a non-Department hos-
pital to an eligible veteran participating in the program.
Such payment may cover the costs for applicable plan
deductibles and coinsurance and the reasonable costs of
such inpatient care and medical services not covered by
any applicable health-care plan of the veteran, but only
to the extent such care and services are of the kind author-
ized under this chapter. The Secretary shall limit the care
and services for which payment may be made under the
program to general medical and surgical services and shall
require that such services may be provided only upon
preauthorization by the Secretary.
‘‘(c)(1) A veteran described in paragraph (1) or (2)
of section 1710(a) of this title is eligible to participate in
the pilot program if the veteran—
‘‘(A) is enrolled to receive medical services from
an outpatient clinic operated by the Secretary which
is (i) within reasonable proximity to the principal
residence of the veteran, and (ii) located within the
geographic area in which the Secretary is carrying
out the program described in subsection (a);
‘‘(B) has received care under this chapter with-
in the 24-month period preceding the veteran’s ap-
plication for enrollment in the pilot program;
‘‘(C) as determined by the Secretary before the
hospitalization of the veteran (i) requires such hos-
pital care and services for a non-service-connected
condition, and (ii) could not receive such services
from a clinic operated by the Secretary; and
‘‘(D) elects to receive such care under a health-
care plan (other than under this title) under which
the veteran is entitled to receive such care.
‘‘(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to re-
duce the authority of the Secretary to contract with non-
Department facilities for care of a service-connected dis-
ability of a veteran.
‘‘(3) Notwithstanding subparagraph (C) of paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 15 per-
cent of the veterans participating in the program are vet-
erans who do not have a health-care plan.
‘‘(d) As part of the program under this section, the
Secretary shall, through provision of case-management,
coordinate the care being furnished directly by the Sec-
retary and care furnished under the program in non-De-
partment hospitals to veterans participating in the pro-
gram.
‘‘(e)(1) In designating geographic areas in which to
establish the program under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall ensure that—
‘‘(A) the areas designated are geographically
dispersed;
‘‘(B) at least 70 percent of the veterans who re-
side in a designated area reside at least two hours
driving distance from the closest medical center op-
erated by the Secretary which provides medical and
surgical hospital care; and
‘‘(C) the establishment of the program in any
such area would not result in jeopardizing the crit-
ical mass of patients needed to maintain a Depart-
ment medical center that serves that area.
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(B), the Sec-
retary may designate for participation in the program at
least one area which is in proximity to a Department med-
ical center which, as a result of a change in mission of
that center, does not provide hospital care.
‘‘(f)(1) Not later than September 30, 2002, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs
of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on
the experience in implementing the pilot program under
subsection (a).
‘‘(2) Not later than September 30, 2004, the Sec-
retary shall submit to those committees a report on the
experience in operating the pilot program during the first
two full fiscal years during which the pilot program is con-
ducted. That report shall include—
‘‘(A) a comparison of the costs incurred by the
Secretary under the program and the cost experience
for the calendar year preceding establishment of the
program at each site at which the program is oper-
ated;
‘‘(B) an assessment of the satisfaction of the
participants in the program; and
‘‘(C) an analysis of the effect of the program on
access and quality of care for veterans.
‘‘(g) The total amount expended for the pilot pro-
gram in any fiscal year (including amounts for administra-
tive costs) may not exceed $50,000,000.
‘‘(h) For purposes of this section:
‘‘(1) The term ‘health-care plan’ has the mean-
ing given that term in section 1725(f)(3) of this
title.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 1725 the following new
item:
‘‘1725A. Coordination of hospital benefits: pilot program.’’.
SEC. 402. BENEFITS FOR PERSONS DISABLED BY PARTICI-
PATION IN COMPENSATED WORK THERAPY
PROGRAM.
Section 1151(a)(2) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ after ‘‘proximately
caused’’; and
(2) by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ‘‘, or (B) by participation in a program
(known as a ‘compensated work therapy program’)
under section 1718 of this title’’.
SEC. 403. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH RE-
SEARCH AND EDUCATION CORPORATIONS.
Section 7368 is amended by striking ‘‘December 31,
2000’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2005’’.
SEC. 404. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FISHER
HOUSES.
(a) AUTHORITY.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following new section:
‘‘§ 1708. Temporary lodging
‘‘(a) The Secretary may furnish persons described in
subsection (b) with temporary lodging in a Fisher house
or other appropriate facility in connection with the exam-
ination, treatment, or care of a veteran under this chapter
or, as provided for under subsection (e)(5), in connection
with benefits administered under this title.
‘‘(b) Person to whom the Secretary may provide lodg-
ing under subsection (a) are the following:
‘‘(1) A veteran who must travel a significant
distance to receive care or services under this title.
‘‘(2) A member of the family of a veteran and
others who accompany a veteran and provide the
equivalent of familial support for such veteran.
‘‘(c) In this section, the term ‘Fisher house’ means
a housing facility that—
‘‘(1) is located at, or in proximity to, a Depart-
ment medical facility;
‘‘(2) is available for residential use on a tem-
porary basis by patients of that facility and others
described in subsection (b)(2); and
‘‘(3) is constructed by, and donated to the Sec-
retary by, the Zachary and Elizabeth M. Fisher
Armed Services Foundation.
‘‘(d) The Secretary may establish charges for pro-
viding lodging under this section. The proceeds from such
charges shall be credited to the medical care account and
shall be available until expended for the purposes of pro-
viding such lodging.
‘‘(e) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to
carry out this section. Such regulations shall include
provisions—
‘‘(1) limiting the duration of such lodging;
‘‘(2) establishing standards and criteria under
which medical facilities may set charges for such
lodging;
‘‘(3) establishing criteria for persons considered
to be accompanying a veteran;
‘‘(4) establishing criteria for the use of such
premises; and
‘‘(5) any other limitations, conditions, and pri-
orities that the Secretary considers appropriate with
respect to temporary lodging under this section.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 1707 the following new
item:
‘‘1708. Temporary lodging.’’.
SEC. 405. EXTENSION OF ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMITTEE
ON MENTALLY ILL VETERANS.
Section 7321(d)(2) is amended by striking ‘‘three’’
and inserting ‘‘six’’.
SEC. 406. EXCEPTION TO RECAPTURE RULE.
Section 8136 is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ at the beginning of the
text of the section; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(b) The establishment and operation by the Sec-
retary of an outpatient clinic in facilities described in sub-
section (a) shall not constitute grounds entitling the
United States to any recovery under that subsection.’’.
SEC. 407. CHANGE TO ENHANCED USE LEASE CONGRES-
SIONAL NOTIFICATION PERIOD.
Paragraph (2) of section 8163(c) is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘(2) The Secretary may not enter into an enhanced
use lease until the end of the 90-day period beginning on
the date of the submission of notice under paragraph
(1).’’.
SEC. 408. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING CHANGES.
(a) REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE CARE.—Section
1710A(a) is amended by inserting ‘‘(subject to section
1710(a)(4) of this title)’’ after ‘‘Secretary’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1710(a)(4)
is amended by striking ‘‘requirement in’’ and inserting
‘‘requirements in section 1710A(a) and’’.
SEC. 409. APPOINTMENT OF VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINIS-
TRATION CLAIMS EXAMINERS (ALSO TITLED
VETERANS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES) ON
A FEE BASIS.
(a) AUTHORITY.—(1) Chapter 77 is amended by in-
serting after section 7703 the following new section:
‘‘§ 7705. Fee basis appointments of claims examiners
‘‘(a) The Secretary, upon recommendation of the
Under Secretary for Benefits, may employ, without regard
to civil service or classification laws, rules, or regulations,
Veterans Claims Examiners (also titled Veterans Service
Representatives) on a fee basis.
‘‘(b) Personnel employed under this section shall be
paid such rates of pay as the Secretary may prescribe.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating
to section 7703 the following new item:
‘‘7705. Fee basis appointments of claims examiners.’’.
(b) REPORTS.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of
the Senate and House of Representatives two reports on
the implementation of section 7705 of title 38, United
States Code, as added by subsection (a). The first report
shall be submitted not later than December 31, 2001, and
the second report shall be submitted not later than De-
cember 31, 2002.
SEC. 410. RELEASE OF REVERSIONARY INTEREST OF THE
UNITED STATES IN CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY
PREVIOUSLY CONVEYED TO THE STATE OF
TENNESSEE.
(a) RELEASE OF INTEREST.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall execute such legal instruments as nec-
essary to release the reversionary interest of the United
States described in subsection (b) in a certain parcel of
real property conveyed to the State of Tennessee pursuant
to the Act entitled ‘‘An Act authorizing the transfer of
certain property of the Veterans’ Administration (in John-
son City, Tennessee) to the State of Tennessee’’, approved
June 6, 1953 (67 Stat. 54).
(b) SPECIFIED
REVERSIONARY
INTEREST.—Sub-
section (a) applies to the reversionary interest of the
United States required under section 2 of the Act referred
to in subsection (a), requiring use of the property con-
veyed pursuant to that Act to be primarily for training
of the National Guard and for other military purposes.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 2 of such
Act is repealed.
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