H. R. 3118—19
Subtitle B—Care of Women Veterans
SEC. 321. MAMMOGRAPHY QUALITY STANDARDS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Subchapter II of chapter 73 is amended
by adding after section 7318 the following new section:
‘‘§ 7319. Mammography quality standards
‘‘(a) A mammogram may not be performed at a Department
facility unless that facility is accredited for that purpose by a
private nonprofit organization designated by the Secretary. An
organization designated by the Secretary under this subsection
shall meet the standards for accrediting bodies established under
subsection (e) of section 354 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 263b).
‘‘(b) The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Health
and Human Services, shall prescribe quality assurance and quality
control standards relating to the performance and interpretation
of mammograms and use of mammogram equipment and facilities
of the Department of Veterans Affairs consistent with the require-
ments of section 354(f)(1) of the Public Health Service Act. Such
standards shall be no less stringent than the standards prescribed
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section
354(f) of the Public Health Service Act.
‘‘(c)(1) The Secretary, to ensure compliance with the standards
prescribed under subsection (b), shall provide for an annual inspec-
tion of the equipment and facilities used by and in Department
health care facilities for the performance of mammograms. Such
inspections shall be carried out in a manner consistent with the
inspection of certified facilities by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services under section 354(g) of the Public Health Service
Act.
‘‘(2) The Secretary may not provide for an inspection under
paragraph (1) to be performed by a State agency.
‘‘(d) The Secretary shall ensure that mammograms performed
for the Department under contract with any non-Department facility
or provider conform to the quality standards prescribed by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 354 of
the Public Health Service Act.
‘‘(e) For the purposes of this section, the term ‘mammogram’
has the meaning given such term in paragraph (5) of section 354(a)
of the Public Health Service Act.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter
is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7318
the following new item:
‘‘7319. Mammography quality standards.’’.
(b) DEADLINE FOR PRESCRIBING STANDARDS.—The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall prescribe standards under subsection (b)
of section 7319 of title 38, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a), not later than the end of the 120-day period beginning
on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit to
the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House
of Representatives a report on the Secretary’s implementation of
section 7319 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection
(a). The report shall be submitted not later than 120 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
H. R. 3118—20
SEC. 322. PATIENT PRIVACY FOR WOMEN PATIENTS.
(a) IDENTIFICATION OF DEFICIENCIES.—The Secretary of Veter-
ans Affairs shall conduct a survey of each medical center under
the jurisdiction of the Secretary to identify deficiencies relating
to patient privacy afforded to women patients in the clinical areas
at each such center which may interfere with appropriate treatment
of such patients.
(b) CORRECTION OF DEFICIENCIES.—The Secretary shall ensure
that plans and, where appropriate, interim steps to correct the
deficiencies identified in the survey conducted under subsection
(a) are developed and are incorporated into the Department’s
construction planning processes and, in cases in which it is cost-
effective to do so, are given a high priority.
(c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall compile an
annual inventory, by medical center, of deficiencies identified under
subsection (a) and of plans and, where appropriate, interim steps,
to correct such deficiencies. The Secretary shall submit to the
Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives, not later than October 1, 1997, and not later than
October 1 each year thereafter through 1999 a report on such
deficiencies. The Secretary shall include in such report the inventory
compiled by the Secretary, the proposed corrective plans, and the
status of such plans.
SEC. 323. ASSESSMENT OF USE BY WOMEN VETERANS OF DEPARTMENT
HEALTH SERVICES.
(a) REPORTS TO UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH.—The Center
for Women Veterans of the Department of Veterans Affairs (estab-
lished under section 509 of Public Law 103–446), in consultation
with the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, shall assess
the use by women veterans of health services through the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, including counseling for sexual trauma
and mental health services. The Center shall submit to the Under
Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs a report
not later than April 1, 1997, and April 1 of each of the two following
years, on—
(1) the extent to which women veterans described in para-
graphs (1) and (2) of section 1710(a) of title 38, United States
Code, fail to seek, or face barriers in seeking, health services
through the Department, and the reasons therefor; and
(2) recommendations, if indicated, for encouraging greater
use of such services, including (if appropriate) public service
announcements and other outreach efforts.
(b) REPORTS TO CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—Not later than
July 1, 1997, and July 1 of each of the two following years, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a
report containing—
(1) the most recent report of the Center for Women Veter-
ans under subsection (a);
(2) the views of the Under Secretary for Health on such
report’s findings and recommendations; and
(3) a description of the steps being taken by the Secretary
to remedy any problems described in the report.
H. R. 3118—21
SEC. 324. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
(a) EXTENSION
OF ANNUAL REPORT REQUIREMENT.—Section
107(a) of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–
585; 106 Stat. 4947) is amended by striking out ‘‘Not later than
January 1, 1993, January 1, 1994, and January 1, 1995’’ and
inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘Not later than January 1 of 1993 and
each year thereafter through 1998’’.
(b) REPORT ON HEALTH CARE AND RESEARCH.—Section 107(b)
of such Act is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ‘‘(including information
on the number of inpatient stays and the number of outpatient
visits through which such services were provided)’’ after ‘‘facil-
ity’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(5) A description of the actions taken by the Secretary
to foster and encourage the expansion of such research.’’.
Subtitle C—Readjustment Counseling and
Mental Health Care
SEC. 331. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR READJUSTMENT COUNSEL-
ING AND CERTAIN RELATED COUNSELING SERVICES.
(a) EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY.—Subsection (a) of section 1712A
is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(a)(1)(A) Upon the request of any veteran referred to in
subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall furnish counseling to the
veteran to assist the veteran in readjusting to civilian life. Such
counseling may include a general mental and psychological assess-
ment of the veteran to ascertain whether such veteran has mental
or psychological problems associated with readjustment to civilian
life.
‘‘(B) Subparagraph (A) applies to the following veterans:
‘‘(i) Any veteran who served on active duty—
‘‘(I) in a theater of combat operations (as determined
by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of
Defense) during the Vietnam era; or
‘‘(II) after May 7, l975, in an area at a time during
which hostilities occurred in that area.
‘‘(ii) Any veteran (other than a veteran covered by clause
(i)) who served on active duty during the Vietnam era who
seeks or is furnished such counseling before January 1, 2000.
‘‘(2)(A) Upon the request of any veteran (other than a veteran
covered by paragraph (1)) who served in the active military, naval,
or air service in a theater of combat operations (as so determined)
during a period of war, or in any other area during a period
in which hostilities (as defined in subparagraph (B)) occurred in
such area, the Secretary may furnish counseling to the veteran
to assist the veteran in readjusting to civilian life.
‘‘(B) For the purposes of subparagraph (A), the term ‘hostilities’
means an armed conflict in which the members of the Armed
Forces are subjected to danger comparable to the danger to which
members of the Armed Forces have been subjected in combat with
enemy armed forces during a period of war, as determined by
the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense.’’.
H. R. 3118—22
(b) REPEAL OF REFERRAL PROVISIONS.—Subsection (c) of such
section is repealed.
SEC. 332. REPORTS RELATING TO VET CENTERS.
(a) REPORT ON COLLOCATION OF VET CENTERS AND DEPARTMENT
OUTPATIENT CLINICS.—(1) Not later than six months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate
and House of Representatives a report on the feasibility and desir-
ability of providing for the collocation of Vet Centers and outpatient
clinics (including rural mobile clinics) of the Department of Veterans
Affairs as current leases for such centers and clinics expire.
(2) The report shall include an assessment of the following:
(A) The results of any collocation of Vet Centers and out-
patient clinics carried out by the Secretary before the date
of the enactment of this Act, including the effects of such
collocation on the quality of care provided at such centers
and clinics.
(B) The effect of such collocation on the capacity of such
centers and clinics to carry out their primary mission.
(C) The extent to which such collocation will impair the
operational independence or administrative integrity of such
centers and clinics.
(D) The feasibility of combining the services provided by
such centers and clinics in the course of such collocation.
(E) The advisability of the collocation of centers and clinics
of significantly different size.
(F) The effect of the locations (including urban and rural
locations) of the centers and clinics on the feasibility and desir-
ability of such collocation.
(G) The amount of any costs savings to be achieved by
the Department as a result of such collocation.
(H) Any other matter that the Secretary considers appro-
priate.
(b) REPORT ON PROVISION OF LIMITED HEALTH CARE SERVICES
AT READJUSTMENT COUNSELING CENTERS.—(1) Not later than six
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on
the feasibility and desirability of providing a limited battery of
health care services (including ambulatory services and health care
screening services) to veterans at Department of Veterans Affairs
readjustment counseling centers.
(2) The report shall include a discussion of the following:
(A) The effect on the advisability of providing health care
services at readjustment counseling centers of the geographic
location of such centers, including the urban location and rural
location of such centers and the proximity of such centers
to Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.
(B) The effect on the advisability of providing such services
at such centers of the type and level of services to be provided,
and the demographic characteristics (including age, socio-eco-
nomic status, ethnicity, and sex) of veterans likely to be pro-
vided the services.
(C) The effect of providing such services at such centers
on the readjustment counseling center program in general and
on the efficiency and autonomy of the clinical and administra-