Improving Oversight of Women Veterans’ Care Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5212 | Sponsor: Rep. Correa, J. Luis (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Improving Oversight of Women Veterans' Care Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit an annual report on women veterans' access to gender-specific services under arrangements entered into by the VA with non-VA medical providers for the provision of hospital care or medical services.
The bill also requires the VA to establish a policy under which (1) the environment of care standards and inspections at VA medical centers include specified elements, and (2) no medical center is eligible for a five-star rating unless it meets the environment of care standards.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to require an annual report on 
    veteran access to gender specific services under community care 
                   contracts, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Oversight of Women 
Veterans' Care Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT ON VETERAN ACCESS TO GENDER SPECIFIC SERVICES 
              UNDER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMUNITY CARE 
              CONTRACTS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1730D. Annual report on veteran access to gender specific 
              services under community care contracts
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives an 
annual report on the access of women veterans to gender specific 
services under contracts, agreements, or other arrangements with non-
Department medical providers entered into by the Secretary for the 
provision of hospital care or medical services to veterans. Such report 
shall include data and performance measures for the availability of 
gender specific services, including--
            ``(1) the average wait time between the veteran's preferred 
        appointment date and the date on which the appointment is 
        completed;
            ``(2) the average driving time required for veterans to 
        attend appointments; and
            ``(3) reasons why appointments could not be scheduled with 
        non-Department medical providers.
    ``(b) Gender Specific Services.--In this section, the term `gender 
specific services' means mammography, obstetric care, gynecological 
care, and such other services as the Secretary determines 
appropriate.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
1730C the following new item:

``1730D. Annual report on veteran access to gender specific services 
                            under community care contracts.''.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF ENVIRONMENT OF CARE STANDARDS AND INSPECTIONS 
              AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTERS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish 
a policy under which--
            (1) the environment of care standards and inspections at 
        Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers include--
                    (A) an alignment of the requirements for such 
                standards and inspections with the women's health 
                handbook of the Veterans Health Administration;
                    (B) a requirement for the frequency of such 
                inspections;
                    (C) delineation of the roles and responsibilities 
                of staff at the medical center who are responsible for 
                compliance; and
                    (D) the requirement that each medical center submit 
                to the Secretary a report on the compliance of the 
                medical center with the standards; and
            (2) for the purposes of the End of Year Hospital Star 
        Rating, no medical center is eligible for a five-star rating as 
        reported under the Strategic Analytics for Improvement and 
        Learning Value Model unless it meets the environment of care 
        standards.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives 
certification in writing that the policy required by subsection (a) has 
been finalized and disseminated to Department all medical centers.
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