Improving Specialty Care for Women Veterans Act
Bill: H.R.7508 | Sponsor: Rep. Crist, Charlie (D-FL)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Improving Specialty Care for Women Veterans Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a program for the recruitment, retention, and training of specialty care providers for former members of the Armed Forces who are women. Individuals serving in a medical internship or residency program or nurses and physicians who are covered providers (i.e., employees of the VA or persons providing care under the Veterans Community Care Program) may participate in the program.
The VA may target individuals with expertise in certain specialty care areas for recruitment. Additionally, the VA may offer targeted individuals appropriate incentives (e.g., monetary incentives).
The VA must provide individuals participating in the program with training and support related to the unique needs of women veterans.
Finally, the VA must (1) provide veterans enrolled in the VA health care system with information that indicates whether a provider has participated in the program, and (2) improve the timeliness of appointments scheduled with such providers.

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program 
for the recruitment, retention, and training of providers of specialty 
            care for women veterans, 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 Specialty Care for Women 
Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAM ON 
              RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND TRAINING OF SPECIALTY CARE 
              PROVIDERS FOR WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out a 
program, including a pilot program, for the recruitment, retention, and 
training of providers of specialty care for former members of the Armed 
Forces who are women.
    (b) Participants.--Participation in a program under subsection (a) 
shall be available to the following:
            (1) Individuals serving in a medical internship or 
        residency program.
            (2) Nurses and physicians who are covered providers.
    (c) Specialty Care Areas; Incentives for Recruitment.--In carrying 
out a program under subsection (a), the Secretary may--
            (1) target for recruitment individuals with expertise in 
        such specialty care areas as the Secretary may determine 
        appropriate for purposes of the program; and
            (2) offer to individuals targeted for recruitment under the 
        program such incentives as the Secretary determines appropriate 
        to facilitate the recruitment and retention of such 
        individuals, including monetary incentives and incentives 
        relating to the reduction of education debt under the Education 
        Debt Reduction program authorized under section 7681 of title 
        38, United States Code.
    (d) Training and Support for Providers.--
            (1) Training and support.--In carrying out a program under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall furnish to each individual 
        recruited under the program such training and support as the 
        Secretary determines necessary with respect to the unique needs 
        of women veterans, including with respect to mental and 
        behavioral health conditions relating to the service of women 
        veterans in the Armed Forces.
            (2) Contracts with non-department entities.--The Secretary 
        may only enter into a contract with a non-Department entity for 
        such entity to provide training or support under paragraph (1) 
        if, not later than 30 days after the date on which the 
        Secretary enters into the contract, the Secretary submits to 
        the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate a notification regarding the 
        contract.
    (e) Relationship to Appointment Scheduling.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) make available to veterans enrolled in the patient 
        enrollment system of the Department under section 1705 of title 
        38, United States Code, information indicating whether a 
        covered provider has participated in a program under subsection 
        (a); and
            (2) take such steps as may be necessary to improve the 
        timeliness of appointments scheduled by such veterans with 
        covered providers who have so participated, including by 
        waiving requirements of the Department relating to wait times 
        for such appointments.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``covered provider'' means a health care 
        provider--
                    (A) who is an employee of the Department of 
                Veterans Affairs; or
                    (B) who provides medical care or services to 
                veterans under the Veterans Community Care program.
            (2) The term ``Veterans Community Care program'' means the 
        program of the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 
        1703 of title 38, United States Code.
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