H. R. 2617—987 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 
a report on the outcome of the review, including an assessment 
of how the Secretary plans to modify the presentation of data 
described in such paragraph in light of the findings of the 
review. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS OF WEBSITE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, in addition to the requirements 
of section 206(b)(4) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Account-
ability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–146; 128 Stat. 1781), the 
Secretary shall ensure that the Website meets the following 
requirements: 
(A) The Website is directly accessible from— 
(i) the main homepage of the publicly accessible 
internet website of the Department; and 
(ii) the main homepage of the publicly accessible 
internet website of each medical center of the Depart-
ment. 
(B) Where practicable, the Website is organized and 
searchable by each medical center of the Department. 
(C) The Website is easily understandable and usable 
by the general public. 
(2) CONSULTATION AND CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—In carrying 
out the requirements of paragraph (1)(C), the Secretary— 
(A) shall consult with— 
(i) veterans service organizations; and 
(ii) veterans and caregivers of veterans from geo-
graphically diverse areas and representing different 
eras of service in the Armed Forces; and 
(B) may enter into a contract to design the Website 
with a company, non-profit entity, or other entity special-
izing in website design that has substantial experience 
in presenting health care data and information in a easily 
understandable and usable manner to patients and con-
sumers. 
(c) 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 a process to annually audit a generalizable 
subset of the data contained on the Website to assess the 
accuracy and completeness of the data. 
(2) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall ensure that each audit 
under paragraph (1)— 
(A) determines the extent that the medical record 
information, clinical information, data, and documentation 
provided by each medical facility of the Department that 
is used to calculate the information on the Website is 
accurate and complete; 
(B) identifies any deficiencies in the recording of med-
ical record information, clinical information, or data by 
medical facilities of the Department that affects the 
accuracy and completeness of the information on the 
Website; and 
(C) provides recommendations to medical facilities of 
the Department on how to—
H. R. 2617—988 
(i) improve the accuracy and completeness of the 
medical record information, clinical information, data, 
and documentation that is used to calculate the 
information on the Website; and 
(ii) ensure that each medical facility of the Depart-
ment provides such information in a uniform manner. 
(3) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than two years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report on the findings of 
each audit under paragraph (1). 
TITLE II—BENEFITS MATTERS 
Subtitle A—Benefits Generally 
SEC. 201. IMPROVEMENTS TO PROCESS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS FOR CLOTHING ALLOWANCE CLAIMS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the . 
(b) PROCESS FOR CLOTHING ALLOWANCE CLAIMS.—Section 1162 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary under’’ and inserting: 
‘‘(a) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary, under’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘which (A) a physician’’ and inserting: 
‘‘which—’’ 
‘‘(A) a physician’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘, and (B) the Secretary’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘; and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsections: 
‘‘(b) CONTINUOUS NATURE OF PAYMENTS.—Payments made to 
a veteran under subsection (a) shall continue on an automatically 
recurring annual basis until the earlier of the following: 
‘‘(1) The date on which the veteran elects to no longer 
receive such payments. 
‘‘(2) The date on which the Secretary determines the vet-
eran is no longer eligible pursuant to subsection (c). 
‘‘(c) REVIEWS OF CLAIMS.—(1) The Secretary shall, in accordance 
with this subsection, conduct reviews of a claim on which a clothing 
allowance for a veteran under subsection (a) is based to determine 
the continued eligibility of the veteran for such allowance. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall prescribe standards for determining 
whether a claim for a clothing allowance is based on a veteran’s 
wearing or use of a prosthetic, orthopedic appliance (including a 
wheelchair), or medication whose wear or tear or irreparable dam-
age on a veteran’s outergarments or clothing is as likely as not 
subject to no change for the duration of such wearing or use. 
‘‘(3)(A) If the Secretary determines, pursuant to standards pre-
scribed under paragraph (2), that a claim for a clothing allowance 
is based on wear or tear or irreparable damage that is as likely 
as not subject to no change, the veteran shall continue to be deemed 
eligible for receipt of a clothing allowance under this section until 
the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) receives notice under subparagraph (B); or
H. R. 2617—989 
‘‘(ii) finds otherwise under subparagraph (C) or (D). 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall require a veteran who is receiving 
a clothing allowance under subsection (a), based on the wearing 
or use of a prosthetic, orthopedic appliance (including a wheelchair), 
or medication, to notify the Secretary when the veteran terminates 
the wearing or use of such a prosthetic, orthopedic appliance, or 
medication. 
‘‘(C) For each veteran who is receiving a clothing allowance 
under subsection (a), based on the wearing or use of a prosthetic, 
orthopedic appliance (including a wheelchair), or medication, the 
Secretary shall periodically review the veteran’s Department records 
for evidence that the veteran has terminated the wearing or use 
of such a prosthetic, orthopedic appliance, or medication. 
‘‘(D) If a veteran who is receiving a clothing allowance under 
subsection (a), based on the wearing or use of a prosthetic, ortho-
pedic appliance (including a wheelchair), or medication, has received 
such clothing allowance beyond the prescribed or intended lifespan 
of such prosthetic, orthopedic appliance, or medication, the Sec-
retary may periodically request the veteran to attest to continued 
usage. 
‘‘(4) If the Secretary determines that a claim for a clothing 
allowance under subsection (a) does not meet the requirements 
of paragraph (3)(A), then the Secretary may require the veteran 
to recertify the veteran’s continued eligibility for a clothing allow-
ance under this section periodically, but not more frequently than 
once each year. 
‘‘(5) When reviewing a claim under this subsection, the Sec-
retary shall evaluate the evidence presented by the veteran and 
such other relevant evidence as the Secretary determines appro-
priate. 
‘‘(d) DETERMINATION REGARDING CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY.—If 
the Secretary determines, as the result of a review of a claim 
conducted under subsection (c), that the veteran who submitted 
such claim no longer meets the requirements specified in subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) provide to the veteran notice of such determination 
that includes a description of applicable actions that may be 
taken following the determination, including the actions speci-
fied in section 5104C of this title; and 
‘‘(2) discontinue the clothing allowance based on such 
claim.’’. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by subsection (b) 
shall apply with respect to— 
(1) claims for clothing allowance submitted on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(2) claims for clothing allowance submitted prior to the 
date of the enactment of this Act, if the veteran who submitted 
such claim is in receipt of the clothing allowance as of the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 202. MEDICAL OPINIONS FOR CERTAIN VETERANS WITH SERVICE- 
CONNECTED DISABILITIES WHO DIE OF COVID–19. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall secure 
a medical opinion to determine if a service-connected disability 
was the principal or contributory cause of death before notifying 
the survivor of the final decision in any case in which all of the 
following factors are met:
H. R. 2617—990 
(1) A claim for compensation is filed under chapter 13 
of title 38, United States Code, with respect to a veteran 
with one or more service-connected disabilities who dies. 
(2) The death certificate for the veteran identifies 
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) as the principal or 
contributory cause of death. 
(3) The death certificate does not clearly identify any of 
the service-connected disabilities of the veteran as the principal 
or contributory cause of death. 
(4) A service-connected disability of the veteran includes 
a condition more likely to cause severe illness from COVID– 
19 as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
(5) The claimant is not entitled to benefits under section 
1318 of such title. 
(6) The evidence to support the claim does not result in 
a preliminary finding in favor of the claimant. 
(b) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall provide information to vet-
erans, dependents, and veterans service organizations about 
applying to dependency and indemnity compensation when a vet-
eran dies from COVID–19. The Secretary shall provide such 
information through the website of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs and via other outreach mechanisms. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five 
years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report on the effects of 
the requirement to secure medical opinions pursuant to such 
subsection on dependency and indemnity compensation benefits 
under chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under paragraph 
(1) shall include, with respect to the year for which the report 
is submitted, the following: 
(A) The total number of dependency and indemnity 
compensation claims filed. 
(B) The number and percentage of dependency and 
indemnity compensation claims for which a disposition has 
been made, disaggregated by whether the disposition was 
a grant, denial, deferral, or withdrawal. 
(C) The accuracy rate for all dependency and indemnity 
compensation claims. 
(D) The total number of covered claims filed. 
(E) The number and percentage of covered claims for 
which a disposition has been made, disaggregated by 
whether the disposition was a grant, denial, deferral, or 
withdrawal. 
(F) The accuracy rate for covered claims. 
(G) The total number and cost of medical opinions 
secured by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (a). 
(d) STUDY ON CLAIMS DENIED PRIOR TO ENACTMENT.— 
(1) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete a study 
on covered claims that were denied prior to the date of the 
enactment of this Act and submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs