BEST for Vets Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-280
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2023-02-07
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Disability and paralysis

Health personnel

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Veterans' pensions and compensation
Latest action: action_date: 2023-04-26
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 118-160.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-02-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Better Examiner Standards and Transparency for Veterans Act of 2023 or the BEST for Vets Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill provides that only health care professionals who are licensed and not barred from practice may furnish medical disability examinations under the Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program related to using contract physicians for disability examinations. Health care professionals include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 280 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 7, 2023 Mr. Rubio (for himself, Mr. Scott of Florida , Ms. Sinema , Ms. Lummis , and Mr. Braun ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To ensure that only licensed health care professionals furnish disability examinations under a certain Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program for use of contract physicians for disability examinations, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Better Examiner Standards and Transparency for Veterans Act of 2023 or the BEST for Vets Act of 2023 . 2. Ensuring only licensed health care professionals furnish medical disability examinations under certain Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program for use contract physicians for disability examinations (a) Prohibition on use of certain health care professionals Section 504(a) of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 ( Public Law 104–275 ; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended— (1) by striking The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and inserting the following: (1) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) Prohibition No examination described in paragraph (1) may be carried out under this section by any health care professional other than one described in subsection (c)(2). . (b) Remedies The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take such actions as the Secretary considers appropriate to ensure that only health care professionals described in subsection (c)(2) of section 504 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 ( Public Law 104–275 ; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) are conducting examinations pursuant to contracts entered into under such section. (c) Annual report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on— (1) the conduct of the pilot program established under section 504 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 ( Public Law 104–275 ; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note); and (2) the actions of the Secretary under subsection (b). (d) Technical corrections Section 504 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 ( Public Law 104–275 ; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended, in the section heading, by striking physicians and inserting health care professionals .