Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4810
Sponsor: Rep. Miller, Jeff [R-FL-1]
Introduced: 2014-06-09 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Hospital care
Public contracts and procurement
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2014-06-09
text: 
Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into contracts with such non-VA facilities as may be necessary to furnish hospital care and medical services to veterans who:
 
 
have waited longer than the wait-time goals of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) (as of June 1, 2014) for an appointment for hospital care or medical services in a VA facility;
 
have been notified by a VA facility that an appointment for hospital care or medical services is not available within such wait-time goals; or 
 
reside more than 40 miles from the VA medical facility, including a community-based outpatient clinic, that is closest to their residence.
 
 
Allows eligible veterans who opt for hospital care or medical services in a non-VA facility to receive such care or services through the completion of the episode of care, but for no longer than 60 days.
 
Directs the Secretary, to the extent that appropriations are available to the VHA for medical services, to reimburse non-VA facilities with which the VA does not have such a contract for providing hospital care and medical services to such veterans, if such care and services cannot be provided within the VHA's wait-time goals in a facility with which the VA has a contract. Sets the reimbursement rate for such care or services at the greatest of the VA, Medicare, or TRICARE (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed care program) payment rate for such care or services.
 
Terminates the Secretary's authority to contract with or reimburse non-VA facilities for the provision of such care and services two years after this Act's enactment.
 
Directs the Secretary to enter into a contract or contracts with a private entity or entities with experience in VHA and private delivery systems and in health care management to conduct an independent assessment of the hospital care and medical services furnished in VA facilities. 
 
Prohibits the Secretary from paying awards and bonuses to VA employees for FY2014-FY2016.

action_date: 2014-06-10
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into contracts with such non-VA facilities as may be necessary to furnish hospital care and medical services to veterans who:
 
 
have waited longer than the wait-time goals of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) (as of June 1, 2014) for an appointment for hospital care or medical services in a VA facility;
 
have been notified by a VA facility that an appointment for hospital care or medical services is not available within such wait-time goals; or 
 
reside more than 40 miles from the VA medical facility, including a community-based outpatient clinic, that is closest to their residence.
 
 
Allows eligible veterans who opt for hospital care or medical services in a non-VA facility to receive such care or services through the completion of the episode of care, but for no longer than 60 days.
 
Directs the Secretary to submit a quarterly report to Congress on the provision of such hospital care and medical services through contracts with non-VA facilities.
 
Terminates the Secretary's authority to contract with non-VA facilities for the provision of such care and services two years after this Act's enactment.
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary, to the extent that appropriations are available to the VHA for medical services, to reimburse non-VA facilities with which the VA does not have such a contract for providing hospital care and medical services to such veterans, if such care and services cannot be provided within the VHA's wait-time goals in a facility with which the VA has a contract. Sets the reimbursement rate for such care or services at the greatest of the VA, Medicare, or TRICARE (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed care program) payment rate for such care or services.
 
Terminates the Secretary's authority to reimburse non-VA facilities for the provision of such care and services two years after this Act's enactment.
 
(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary, within 120 days of this Act's enactment, to enter into a contract or contracts with a private entity or entities with experience in VHA and private delivery systems and in health care management to conduct an independent assessment of the hospital care and medical services furnished in VA facilities.
 
Lists the factors that must be addressed in assessing veterans access to, and the quality of, hospital care and medical services in VA facilities.
 
Directs the Secretary to submit reports to the congressional veterans committees regarding: (1) the findings and recommendations of the independent assessment; and (2) the Secretary's response to those findings, including an action plan for fully implementing such recommendations.
 
(Sec. 5) Prohibits the Secretary from paying awards and bonuses to VA employees for FY2014-FY2016.
 
(Sec. 6) Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), within 30 days of this Act's enactment, to transmit to Congress: 
 
 
 an estimate of the budgetary effects of this Act's coverage of hospital care and medical services for veterans in non-VA facilities; 
 
 any transfer authority needed to utilize the savings from denying VA awards and bonuses to satisfy such budgetary effects; and
 
 a request, if necessary, for additional funding, or the transfer or reprogramming of existing funding, for this Act's coverage of the hospital care and medical services provided to veterans in non-VA facilities.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 426 - 0 (Roll no. 287). (text: CR H5196-5197)
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 426 - 0 (Roll no. 287).(text: CR H5196-5197)
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: VACATING PROCEEDINGS ON ROLL CALL 275 - Mr. Rodney Davis (IL) asked unanimous consent that the proceedings on roll call vote number 275, the motion to suspend the rules on H.R. 4810, be vacated to the end that the Chair put the question de novo. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 0 - 0 (Roll no. 275).
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 0 - 0 (Roll no. 275).
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5203, H5211-5212)
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4810.
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5196-5200)
action_date: 2014-06-10
text: Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2014-06-09
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-06-09
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-06-09
text: Introduced in House