A bill to clarify licensure requirements for contractor medical professionals to perform medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-4365
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]
Introduced: 2020-07-29
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability and paralysis

Health personnel

Licensing and registrations

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2020-07-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-07-29
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill authorizes additional health care professionals to perform medical disability examinations as part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program. Currently, the pilot program authorizes physicians with current and unrestricted licenses to perform medical disability examinations on persons applying for VA benefits. Under the bill, the following contract health care professionals are authorized to perform such examinations if they meet licensure requirements: physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4365 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 29, 2020 Mr. Boozman introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To clarify licensure requirements for contractor medical professionals to perform medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1. Clarification of licensure requirements for contractor medical professionals to perform medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs Subsection (c) of section 504 of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 ( Public Law 104–275 ; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended to read as follows: (c) Licensure of contract health care professionals (1) In general Notwithstanding any law regarding the licensure of health care professionals, a health care professional described in paragraph (2) may conduct an examination pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection (a) at any location in any State, the District of Columbia, or a Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, so long as the examination is within the scope of the authorized duties under such contract. (2) Health care professional described A health care professional described in this paragraph is a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, audiologist, or psychologist, who— (A) has a current unrestricted license to practice the health care profession of the physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, audiologist, or psychologist, as the case may be; (B) is not barred from practicing such health care profession in any State, the District of Columbia, or a Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States; and (C) is performing authorized duties for the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection (a). .