H.R. 5246House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

VA Medical Center Improvement Act

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 8:42 PM UTC

The VA Medical Center Improvement Act requires every director of a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility to create and submit a detailed improvement plan aimed at achieving a five‑star rating for their facility. The plans must be filed within 90 days of the law’s enactment and must cover resources, staffing, hiring authority, and information‑system changes. Facilities that have not yet earned a five‑star rating must also send yearly progress reports. The bill encourages the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use existing investigative powers under the Enhancing Veteran Care Act.

Key Provisions

Directors must submit a comprehensive improvement plan to the Secretary within 90 days, targeting a five‑star departmental rating.
Each plan must detail needed resources, personnel changes, hiring authority, additional staff, and information‑system updates.
Facilities without a five‑star rating must provide an annual report on actions taken to meet the improvement plan.
Congress expresses that the Secretary should fully use investigative authorities granted by the Enhancing Veteran Care Act.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 9, 2018

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 9, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

March 9, 2018

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 9, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 9, 2018

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 5246

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 9, 2018

Mr. Russell (for himself, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Cole, and Mr. Lucas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To require directors of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit plans to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on how to improve such facilities, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the VA Medical Center Improvement Act.

Plans to improve medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)

Plan required

(1)

In general

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall require each director of a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit to the Secretary, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, a plan to improve such facility in such a fashion as would result in the facility obtaining a Department five-star rating.

(2)

Contents

The Secretary shall ensure that each plan submitted under paragraph (1) includes sufficient detail regarding resources, personnel changes, hiring authorities, additional staffing, and changes to information systems as is necessary to obtain the rating described in such paragraph.

(b)

Annual reports

The Secretary shall ensure that, in the first fiscal year beginning after the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once each fiscal year thereafter, each director of a medical facility of the Department which does not have a Department five-star rating submits to the Secretary a report on the actions taken by the director to carry out the plan submitted by the director under subsection (a)(1) and to obtain the rating described in such subsection.

(c)

Sense of Congress on use of authorities To investigate medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs

It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should make full use of the authorities provided by section 2 of the Enhancing Veteran Care Act (Public Law 115–95).