Title: VA Provider Equity Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
VA Provider Equity Act
This bill includes podiatrists within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) definition of physician, and increases their pay grade to match other VA physician compensation.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1058 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1058

     To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role of 
           podiatrists in the Department of Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 14, 2017

Mr. Wenstrup (for himself, Mr. Abraham, Ms. Brownley of California, and 
  Mr. Ruiz) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role of 
           podiatrists in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    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 ``VA Provider Equity Act''.

SEC. 2. ROLE OF PODIATRISTS IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Inclusion as Physician.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 74 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new section:
``Sec. 7413. Treatment of podiatrists
    ``For purposes of this chapter, the term `physician' includes a 
podiatrist.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 7412 the following new item:

``7413. Treatment of podiatrists.''.
            (3) Conforming amendment.--Section 7401(1) of such title is 
        amended by striking ``Physicians, dentists, podiatrists,'' and 
        inserting ``Physicians, dentists,''.
    (b) Qualifications.--Section 7402(b) of such title is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or of doctor 
                of osteopathy'' and inserting ``, doctor of osteopathy, 
                or doctor of podiatric medicine''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``podiatry,'' 
                after ``surgery,'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (5); and
            (3) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (14) as 
        paragraphs (5) through (13), respectively.
    (c) Period of Appointment.--Section 7403(a)(2) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) by striking subparagraph (C); and
            (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (H) as 
        subparagraphs (C) through (G), respectively.
    (d) Modification of Pay Grade.--
            (1) Grade.--The list in section 7404(b) of such title is 
        amended by striking ``PODIATRIST,''.
            (2) Application.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall 
        apply with respect to a pay period of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs beginning on or after the date that is 30 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (e) Contracts for Scarce Services.--Section 7409(a) of such title 
is amended by striking ``podiatrists,''.
    (f) Personnel Administration.--Section 7421(b) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (3); and
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) as 
        paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively.
    (g) Medical Directors.--Section 7306(a)(4) of such title is amended 
by inserting ``, doctor of podiatric medicine,'' after ``doctor of 
medicine''.
    (h) Application.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
with respect to podiatrists employed by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs as of the date of the enactment of this Act or who are 
appointed on or after such date.
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