Veterans Patient Advocacy Act

Bill: 117-hr-5755
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-4]
Introduced: 2021-10-27
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight

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Latest action: action_date: 2021-11-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-10-27
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Veterans Patient Advocacy Act</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Office of Patient Advocacy within the Veterans Health Administration to ensure (1) there is not fewer than one patient advocate for every 13,500 veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system, and (2) highly rural veterans may access the services of patient advocates. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the implementation of such policies.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5755 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 27, 2021 Mr. Moolenaar (for himself, Mrs. Dingell , Mrs. McClain , and Ms. Slotkin ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the assignment of patient advocates at medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Patient Advocacy Act . 2. Patient advocates at medical facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general Section 7309A of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (f) and (g), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection (e): (e) Number of patient advocates Beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Director shall ensure that— (1) there is not fewer than one patient advocate for every 13,500 veterans enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment established and operated under section 1705 of this title; and (2) highly rural veterans may access the services of patient advocates, including, to the extent practicable, with respect to assigning patient advocates to rural community-based outpatient clinics. . (b) GAO Report Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report evaluating the implementation by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of section 7309A of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).