Caring for our Veterans Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-2193
Sponsor: Sen. Isakson, Johnny [R-GA]
Introduced: 2017-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Appropriations
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Dental care
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disability and paralysis
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Employee hiring
Employee performance
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Higher education
Home and outpatient care
Hospital care
Licensing and registrations
Medicaid
Medical education
Medical research
Medicare
Mental health
Military medicine
Nursing
Organ and tissue donation and transplantation
Performance measurement
Prescription drugs
Public contracts and procurement
Public-private cooperation
Rural conditions and development
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Student aid and college costs
Surgery and anesthesia
User charges and fees
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions and compensation
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2017-12-05
text: 

Caring for our Veterans Act of 2017

 
This bill establishes a Veterans Community Care Program to furnish hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to covered veterans through non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care providers under specified circumstances. This program replaces the Veterans Choice Program.
 
The VA shall develop: (1) an education program for veterans about their VA health care options, (2) processes to ensure safe opioid prescribing practices by non-VA health care providers; and (3) criteria to designate VA medical centers, ambulatory care facilities, and community based outpatient clinics as underserved facilities.
 
The bill: (1) modifies the definitions of medical facility, major medical facility project, and major medical facility lease; and (2) establishes specified pilot programs.
 
The VA family caregiver program is expanded.
 
The VA shall implement a new information technology system. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-03-07
text: By Senator Isakson from Committee on Veterans' Affairs filed written report. Report No. 115-212.
action_date: 2018-03-07
text: By Senator Isakson from Committee on Veterans' Affairs filed written report. Report No. 115-212.
action_date: 2017-12-05
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 273.
action_date: 2017-12-05
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Isakson. Without written report.
action_date: 2017-12-05
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Isakson. Without written report.
action_date: 2017-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate