[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 450 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 412
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 450
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot
program to expedite the onboarding process for new medical providers of
the Department of Veterans Affairs, to reduce the duration of the
hiring process for such medical providers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 12, 2019
Mr. Gardner (for himself, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Daines) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs
February 5, 2020
Reported by Mr. Moran, with an amendment and an amendment to the title
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot
program to expedite the onboarding process for new medical providers of
the Department of Veterans Affairs, to reduce the duration of the
hiring process for such medical providers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Improved Access
and Care Act of 2019''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON EXPEDITING THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS PROCESS FOR ONBOARDING NEW MEDICAL
PROVIDERS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Pilot Program Authorized.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and
advisability of expediting the process of the Veterans Health
Administration for onboarding new medical providers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Goal for program.--Under the pilot program,
the Secretary shall seek to reduce the length of time it takes
to onboard medical providers to no more than 60 days.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Locations.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Secretary shall select not
fewer than ten medical facilities of the Department of Veterans
Affairs at which to carry out the pilot program.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Regional diversity.--The medical facilities
selected under paragraph (1) shall be located in regionally
diverse areas, as determined by the Secretary.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Priority.--In selecting medical facilities
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to
medical facilities facing hiring shortages of licensed
independent medical providers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Onboarding Process Defined.--In this section, the term
``onboarding process'' means the process of bringing on a medical
provider applicant after the medical provider is offered a tentative
position, including certification of credentialing, background
investigation, assessment of health status, and such other actions as
are necessary for starting employment.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. STRATEGY TO REDUCE DURATION OF HIRING PROCESS OF
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR LICENSED PROFESSIONAL
MEDICAL PROVIDERS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
submit to Congress a strategy to reduce the duration of the hiring
process of the Department of Veterans Affairs for licensed professional
medical providers by half.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Expedited Certification.--The strategy submitted under
subsection (a) shall describe how the overall certification of
credentials process of the Department for licensed professional medical
providers can be expedited.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Improved Access and Care
Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF QUARTERLY UPDATE OF INFORMATION ON STAFFING AND
VACANCIES AT FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ON DURATION OF HIRING
PROCESS.
(a) Quarterly Update.--Subsection (a)(1) of section 505 of the VA
MISSION Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-182; 38 U.S.C. 301 note) is amended
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(E) Beginning with any update under paragraph (3)
on or after the date of the enactment of the Veterans
Improved Access and Care Act of 2020, the following:
``(i) For employees appointed under
paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 7401 of title
38, United States Code, the number of employees
for which the duration of the process from
validation of vacancy to receipt of official
offer and notification of actual start date
exceeds the metrics laid out in the Time to
Hire Model of the Veterans Health
Administration, or successor model.
``(ii) The percentage of employees who are
described in clause (i) compared to all
employees appointed under paragraphs (1) and
(3) of section 7401 of such title during the
same period.
``(iii) The average number of days
potential hires or new hires appointed under
paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 7401 of such
title spent in each phase of the Time to Hire
Model, or successor model.''.
(b) Reduction in Frequency of Inspector General Reviews.--
Subsection (a)(5) of such section is amended by striking ``a semi-
annual basis'' and inserting ``an annual basis''.
(c) Annual Report.--Subsection (b) of such section is amended, in
the first sentence, by adding before the period at the end the
following: ``and to improve the onboard timeline for facilities for
which the duration of the onboarding process exceeds the metrics laid
out in the Time to Hire Model of the Veterans Health Administration, or
successor model''.
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend the VA
MISSION Act of 2018 to expand the quarterly update of
information on staffing and vacancies at facilities of the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.''.
Calendar No. 412
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 450
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot
program to expedite the onboarding process for new medical providers of
the Department of Veterans Affairs, to reduce the duration of the
hiring process for such medical providers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
February 5, 2020
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title