IIB 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3471 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
improvements in the provision of automobiles and adapt-
ive equipment by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Mobility 
Safety Act of 2016’’. 
SEC. 2. PERSONAL SELECTIONS OF AUTOMOBILES AND 
ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT. 
Section 3903(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Except’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) Ex-
cept’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall ensure that to the extent 
practicable an eligible person who is provided an auto-
mobile or other conveyance under this chapter is given the 
opportunity to make personal selections relating to such 
automobile or other conveyance.’’. 
SEC. 3. COMPREHENSIVE POLICY FOR THE AUTOMOBILES 
ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) COMPREHENSIVE POLICY.—The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall develop a comprehensive policy re-
garding quality standards for providers who provide modi-
fication services to veterans under the automobile adaptive 
equipment program. 
(b) SCOPE.—The policy developed under subsection 
(a) shall cover each of the following: 
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(1) The Department of Veterans Affairs-wide 
management of the automobile adaptive equipment 
program. 
(2) The development of standards for safety 
and quality of equipment and installation of equip-
ment through the automobile adaptive equipment 
program, including with respect to the defined dif-
ferentiations in levels of modification complexity. 
(3) The consistent application of standards for 
safety and quality of both equipment and installation 
throughout the Department. 
(4) The certification of a provider by a third 
party organization or manufacturer if the Secretary 
designates the quality standards of such organiza-
tion or manufacturer as meeting or exceeding the 
standards developed under this section. 
(5) The education and training of personnel of 
the Department who administer the automobile 
adaptive equipment program. 
(6) The compliance of the provider with the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12101 et seq.) when furnishing automobile adaptive 
equipment at the facility of the provider. 
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(7) The allowance, where technically appro-
priate, for veterans to receive modifications at their 
residence or location of choice. 
(c) UPDATES.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall update 
Veterans Health Administration Handbook 1173.4, or any 
successor handbook or directive, in accordance with the 
policy developed under subsection (a). Not less frequently 
than once every 6 years thereafter, the Secretary shall up-
date such handbook, or any successor handbook or direc-
tive. 
(d) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall develop the 
policy under subsection (a), and revise such policy under 
subsection (c), in consultation with veterans service orga-
nizations, the National Highway Transportation Adminis-
tration, industry representatives, manufacturers of auto-
mobile adaptive equipment, and other entities with exper-
tise in installing, repairing, replacing, or manufacturing 
mobility equipment or developing mobility accreditation 
standards for automobile adaptive equipment. 
(e) CONFLICTS.—In developing and implementing the 
policy under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) minimize the possibility of conflicts of inter-
est, to the extent practicable; and 
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(2) establish procedures that ensure against the 
use of a certifying entity referred to in subsection 
(b)(4) that has a financial conflict of interest re-
garding the certification of an eligible provider. 
(f) BIENNIAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date on which the Secretary updates Veterans 
Health Administration Handbook 1173.4, or any 
successor handbook or directive, under subsection 
(c), and biennially thereafter through 2022, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Sen-
ate a report on the implementation and facility com-
pliance with the policy developed under subsection 
(a). 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A description of the implementation 
plan for the policy developed under subsection 
(a) and any revisions to such policy under sub-
section (c). 
(B) A description of the performance 
measures used to determine the effectiveness of 
such policy in ensuring the safety of veterans 
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enrolled in the automobile adaptive equipment 
program. 
(C) An assessment of safety issues due to 
improper installations based on a survey of re-
cipients of adaptive equipment from the De-
partment. 
(D) An assessment of the adequacy of the 
adaptive equipment services of the Department 
based on a survey of recipients of adaptive 
equipment from the Department. 
(E) An assessment of the training provided 
to the personnel of the Department with respect 
to administering the program. 
(F) An assessment of the certified pro-
viders of the Department of adaptive equipment 
with respect to meeting the minimum standards 
developed under subsection (b)(2). 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘automobile adaptive equipment 
program’’ means the program administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs pursuant to chapter 
39 of title 38, United States Code. 
(2) The term ‘‘veterans service organization’’ 
means any organization recognized by the Secretary 
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for the representation of veterans under section 
5902 of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 4. APPOINTMENT OF LICENSED HEARING AID SPE-
CIALISTS IN VETERANS HEALTH ADMINIS-
TRATION. 
(a) LICENSED HEARING AID SPECIALISTS.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT.—Section 7401(3) of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘li-
censed hearing aid specialists,’’ after ‘‘Audiol-
ogists,’’. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—Section 7402(b)(14) of 
such title is amended by inserting ‘‘, hearing aid 
specialist’’ after ‘‘dental technologist’’. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—With respect to appointing 
hearing aid specialists under sections 7401 and 7402 of 
title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection 
(a), and providing services furnished by such specialists, 
the Secretary shall ensure that— 
(1) a hearing aid specialist may only perform 
hearing services consistent with the hearing aid spe-
cialist’s State license related to the practice of fit-
ting and dispensing hearing aids without excluding 
other qualified professionals, including audiologists, 
from rendering services in overlapping practice 
areas; 
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(2) services provided to veterans by hearing aid 
specialists shall be provided as part of the non-med-
ical treatment plan developed by an audiologist; and 
(3) the medical facilities of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs provide to veterans access to the 
full range of professional services provided by an au-
diologist. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In determining the qualifica-
tions required for hearing aid specialists and in carrying 
out subsection (b), the Secretary shall consult with vet-
erans 
service 
organizations, 
audiologists, 
otolaryngologists, hearing aid specialists, and other stake-
holder and industry groups as the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
(d) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter during the 5-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report 
on the following: 
(A) Timely access of veterans to hearing 
health services through the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
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(B) Contracting policies of the Department 
with respect to providing hearing health serv-
ices to veterans in facilities that are not facili-
ties of the Department. 
(2) TIMELY ACCESS TO SERVICES.—Each re-
port shall, with respect to the matter specified in 
paragraph (1)(A) for the 1-year period preceding the 
submittal of such report, include the following: 
(A) The staffing levels of audiologists, 
hearing aid specialists, and health technicians 
in audiology in the Veterans Health Adminis-
tration. 
(B) A description of the metrics used by 
the Secretary in measuring performance with 
respect to appointments and care relating to 
hearing health. 
(C) The average time that a veteran waits 
to receive an appointment, beginning on the 
date on which the veteran makes the request, 
for the following: 
(i) A disability rating evaluation for a 
hearing-related disability. 
(ii) A hearing aid evaluation. 
(iii) Dispensing of hearing aids. 
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(iv) Any follow-up hearing health ap-
pointment. 
(D) The percentage of veterans whose total 
wait time for appointments described in sub-
paragraph (C), including an initial and follow- 
up appointment, if applicable, is more than 30 
days. 
(3) 
CONTRACTING
POLICIES.—Each 
report 
shall, with respect to the matter specified in para-
graph (1)(B) for the 1-year period preceding the 
submittal of such report, include the following: 
(A) The number of veterans that the Sec-
retary refers to non-Department audiologists 
for hearing health care appointments. 
(B) The number of veterans that the Sec-
retary refers to non-Department hearing aid 
specialists for follow-up appointments for a 
hearing aid evaluation, the dispensing of hear-
ing aids, or any other purpose relating to hear-
ing health. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 12, 
2016. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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