VA MISSION Act of 2018

Bill: 115-s-2906
Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2018-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Appropriations
California
Congressional oversight
Dental care
Department of Veterans Affairs
District of Columbia
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Education programs funding
Employee hiring
Employee performance
Federal officials
Georgia
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
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 technology, devices, supplies
Hospital care
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations
Medicaid
Medical education
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health
Ohio
Organ and tissue donation and transplantation
Prescription drugs
Public contracts and procurement
Rural conditions and development
South Carolina
Student aid and college costs
Surgery and anesthesia
Tennessee
Texas
U.S. territories and protectorates
User charges and fees
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs
Veterans' medical care
West Virginia
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2018-05-22
text: 

VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 or VA MISSION Act of 2018

 
This bill consolidates Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community care programs, revises other VA health care programs and facilities provisions, and makes appropriations for veterans care.
 
The bill establishes the Veterans Community Care Program to furnish hospital care, medical services, and extended care services through certain non-VA providers to veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system or otherwise entitled to VA care.
 
The VA may enter agreements with non-VA providers to furnish veterans with care that is otherwise not feasibly available.
 
The VA shall: (1) establish standards for VA health care quality and for non-VA care in areas of VA expertise, (2) prohibit rehiring previously-removed VA providers, (3) provide prompt payment to providers, and (4) establish opioid prescribing practices for non-VA providers. 
 
The Veterans Choice Program is terminated after one year.
 
The bill establishes the Center for Innovation for Care and Payment.
 
The VA may: (1) provide care for the live donor of a transplant for a veteran, and (2) carry out a Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program and other actions to recruit health care professionals.
 
The VA family caregiver program is expanded.
 
The Office of Management and Budget shall review each enhanced-use facility lease. 
 
The bill establishes pilot programs for medical scribes, mobile deployment teams for underserved facilities, and graduate medical education.
 
The bill extends VA pension reductions for Medicare-covered veterans in nursing homes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2018-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate