Veterans Access to Extended Care Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-739
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2015-03-16
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Adult day care

Health care quality

Health personnel

Labor standards

Licensing and registrations

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Public contracts and procurement

Veterans' medical care

Wages and earnings
Latest action: action_date: 2015-03-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-03-16
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Veterans Access to Extended Care Act of 2015</strong></p> <p>This bill modifies the treatment of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) agreements with service providers to furnish veterans with nursing home care, adult day health care, or other extended care services. </p> <p>Any such agreement shall: </p> <ul> <li>not be treated as a federal contract for the acquisition of goods or services and shall be not subject to any provision of law governing federal contracts for the acquisition of goods or services, and </li> <li>include specified requirements (such as for medical licensing and VA review of staff and facilities) to ensure the safety and quality of care furnished to veterans pursuant to such agreement.</li> </ul> <p>The failure of a provider to comply with a provision of the agreement may result in VA termination of the agreement.</p> <p>Such agreements are exempted from the application of certain public contract labor laws.</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 739 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 16, 2015 Mr. Hoeven (for himself and Mr. Manchin ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To modify the treatment of agreements entered into by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish nursing home care, adult day health care, or other extended care services, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Access to Extended Care Act of 2015 . 2. Treatment of agreements for nursing home care, adult day health care, or other extended care services from Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general Subparagraph (B) of section 1720(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding after the period at the end the following: Any such agreement shall not be treated as a Federal contract for the acquisition of goods or services and is not subject to any provision of law governing Federal contracts for the acquisition of goods or services. Title 41 shall not apply to any such agreement. . (b) Requirements Such section is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: (C) Any agreement entered into under subparagraph (A) with a provider described in that subparagraph shall include provisions that are necessary to ensure the safety and quality of care furnished to veterans pursuant to such agreement, including the following: (i) Requirements as to the licensing and credentialing of medical professionals of the provider, as applicable. (ii) Review by the Department of medical records of the provider. (iii) Visits by employees of the Department to assess facilities and practices of the provider on an unannounced basis. (iv) Review by the Department of staffing levels for medical professionals and support personnel of the provider. (v) Such other provisions as the Secretary considers necessary to ensure the safety and quality of care furnished to veterans. (D) The failure of a provider with which the Secretary has entered into an agreement under subparagraph (A) to comply with a provision of such agreement described in subparagraph (C) may result in the termination of such agreement by the Department. . 3. Exemption of agreements entered into by Secretary of Veterans Affairs for nursing home care, adult day health care, or other extended care services from the application of certain labor laws Section 6702(b) of title 41, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (6), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (8) an agreement to furnish nursing home care, adult day health care, or other extended care services under section 1720 of title 38. .