Title: ECHO Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
VA Expanded Care Hours Act or the ECHO Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a study on the attitudes of veterans and Veterans Health Administration staff toward the VA offering appointments outside the usual operating hours of VA facilities, including via telehealth appointments. The VA must also study the feasibility and advisability of offering appointments outside the usual operating hours.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8212 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8212

   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct studies on 
    alternative work schedules for employees of the Veterans Health 
                 Administration, and for other matters.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 11, 2020

  Mr. Cunningham (for himself and Mr. Banks) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct studies on 
    alternative work schedules for employees of the Veterans Health 
                 Administration, and for other matters.

    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 Expanded Care Hours Act'' or the 
``ECHO Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDIES ON ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES FOR EMPLOYEES OF VETERANS 
              HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Study of Veterans.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        shall conduct a study on the attitudes of eligible veterans 
        toward the Department of Veterans Affairs offering appointments 
        outside the usual operating hours of facilities of the 
        Department, including through the use of telehealth 
        appointments.
            (2) Eligible veteran defined.--In this subsection, the term 
        ``eligible veteran'' means a veteran who--
                    (A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of 
                the Department under section 1705(a) of title 38, 
                United States Code; and
                    (B) received health care from the Department at 
                least once during the two-year period ending on the 
                date of the commencement of the study under paragraph 
                (1).
    (b) Department Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a study 
        on the feasibility and advisability of offering appointments 
        outside the usual operating hours of facilities of the 
        Department.
            (2) Study of employees.--The study required by paragraph 
        (1) shall include a study of the opinions of employees of the 
        Veterans Health Administration, including clinical, 
        nonclinical, and support staff, with respect to offering 
        appointments outside the usual operating hours of facilities of 
        the Department, including through the use of telehealth 
        appointments.
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