S.Amdt. 2761

1. Adds SEC. 330. PILOT PROGRAM TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE FOR HEALTH CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO RECEIVE SUCH CARE FROM NON-DEPARTMENT ENTITIES on page 76, between lines 8 and 9

   Adds a sectionPrinted page

   Inserted: SEC. 330. PILOT PROGRAM TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE FOR HEALTH CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO RECEIVE SUCH CARE FROM NON-DEPARTMENT ENTITIES.

   Inserted: (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall commence a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing health care and services to eligible individuals described in subsection (b) through non-Department providers and at non-Department facilities.

   Inserted: (b) Eligible Individuals.--Eligible individuals described in this subsection are veterans, surviving spouses of veterans, spouses of veterans, and children of veterans (as those terms are defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) who are eligible for health care and services under the laws administered by the Secretary.

   Inserted: (c) Providers and Facilities.--In carrying out the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall select such non-Department providers and such non-Department facilities as the Secretary considers appropriate to provide health care and services as described in subsection (a).

   Inserted: (d) Locations.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary shall carry out the pilot program at not more than 40 locations selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program, which shall include at least one location within each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN).

   Inserted: (2) Priority.--In selecting locations under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority consideration to those locations in which individuals seeking primary care appointments at the nearest medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs have the longest average wait time.

   Inserted: (3) Additional locations.--The Secretary may expand the pilot program to include more than 40 locations as the Secretary considers appropriate on the earlier of--

   Inserted: (A) the date that the Secretary determines that the pilot program--

   Inserted: (i) is cost effective, feasible, and advisable; and

   Inserted: (ii) has equal or better outcomes and satisfaction among veterans as compared to health care and services received through providers and facilities of the Department; or

   Inserted: (B) three years after the date of the commencement of the pilot program.

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   Inserted: (e) Payments to Providers and Facilities.--

   Inserted: (1) Payment rates.--Subject to paragraph (2), in carrying out the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall specify the rates by which non-Department providers and non-Department facilities are paid for the provision of care and services under the pilot program.

   Inserted: (2) Limitation.--The Secretary shall ensure that the aggregate amount paid to non-Department providers and non-Department facilities for the provision of care and services under the pilot program does not exceed the cost of providing such care and services through providers and facilities of the Department.

   Original wording

   On page 76, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:

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As printed