S.Amdt. 3991

SA 3991. Mr. JOHNSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 3896 proposed by Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Kirk,
Mr. Reed, and Mr. Tester) to the bill H.R. 2577, making appropriations
for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban
Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September
30, 2016, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the
table; as follows:

At the end of title II of division B, add the following:

SEC. 251. PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION ON PROVISION OF HEALTH
CARE BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Publication of Information.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall publish on an Internet
database of the Department of Veterans Affairs available to
the public information on the provision of health care by the
Department.
(2) Elements.--
(A) In general.--Each publication required by paragraph (1)
shall include, with respect to each medical facility of the
Department during the 180-day period preceding such
publication, the following:
(i) The average length of stay for inpatient care.
(ii) A description of any hospital-acquired condition
acquired by a patient.
(iii) The rate of readmission of patients within 30 days of
release.
(iv) The rate at which opioids are prescribed to each
patient.
(v) The average wait time for emergency room treatment.
(vi) A description of any scheduling backlog with respect
to patient appointments.
(vii) The average number of patients seen per month by each
primary care physician.
(B) Additional elements.--The Secretary may include in each
publication required by paragraph (1) such additional
information on the safety of medical facilities of the
Department, health outcomes at such facilities, and quality
of care at such facilities as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(3) Searchability.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
Internet database required by paragraph (1) is searchable by
State, city, and facility.
(4) Personal information.--The Secretary shall ensure that
personal information connected to information published under
paragraph (1) is protected from disclosure as required by
applicable law.
(b) Comptroller General Report.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General of the United States shall submit to Congress a
report setting forth recommendations for additional elements
to be included with the information published under
subsection (a) to improve the evaluation and assessment of
the safety and health of individuals receiving health care
under the laws administered by the Secretary and the quality
of health care received by such individuals.
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