BEST for Vets Act of 2021
Bill: S.2329 | Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco (R-FL)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Better Examiner Standards and Transparency for Veterans Act of 2021 or the BEST for Vets Act of 2021
This bill provides that only health care professionals who are licensed and not barred from practice may furnish medical disability examinations under the Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program related to using contract physicians for disability examinations. Health care professionals include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists.

To ensure that only licensed health care professionals furnish 
disability examinations under a certain Department of Veterans Affairs 
      pilot program for use of contract physicians for disability 
                 examinations, 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 ``Better Examiner Standards and 
Transparency for Veterans Act of 2021'' or the ``BEST for Vets Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. ENSURING ONLY LICENSED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS FURNISH 
              MEDICAL DISABILITY EXAMINATIONS UNDER CERTAIN DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM FOR USE CONTRACT 
              PHYSICIANS FOR DISABILITY EXAMINATIONS.

    (a) Prohibition on Use of Certain Health Care Professionals.--
Section 504(a) of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 
(Public Law 104-275; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The Secretary of Veterans Affairs'' and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(2) Prohibition.--No examination described in paragraph 
        (1) may be carried out under this section by any health care 
        professional other than one described in subsection (c)(2).''.
    (b) Remedies.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take such 
actions as the Secretary considers appropriate to ensure that only 
health care professionals described in subsection (c)(2) of section 504 
of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 
38 U.S.C. 5101 note) are conducting examinations pursuant to contracts 
entered into under such section.
    (c) Annual Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once each year 
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--
            (1) the conduct of the pilot program established under 
        section 504 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 
        (Public Law 104-275; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note); and
            (2) the actions of the Secretary under subsection (b).
    (d) Technical Corrections.--Section 504 of the Veterans' Benefits 
Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is 
amended, in the section heading, by striking ``physicians'' and 
inserting ``health care professionals''.
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