[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6373 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6373
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to offer annual preventative health evaluations to
veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder and increase access to
assistive technologies, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 13, 2023
Mr. Bergman (for himself, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Bost, and Ms. Brownley)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to offer annual preventative health evaluations to
veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder and increase access to
assistive technologies, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New
Devices Act'' or the ``Veterans STAND Act''.
SEC. 2. PROVISION OF PREVENTATIVE HEALTH EVALUATIONS FOR VETERANS WITH
A SPINAL CORD INJURY OR DISORDER.
Section 1706 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
``(d)(1) In managing the provision of hospital care and medical
services under section 1710(a) of this title, the Secretary shall
furnish (through direct provision of service, referral, or a telehealth
program operated by the Department) a preventative health evaluation
annually to any veteran with a spinal cord injury or disorder who
elects to undergo the evaluation.
``(2) The evaluation described in paragraph (1) shall include the
following:
``(A) An assessment of any circumstance or condition the
veteran is experiencing that indicates a risk for any health
complication related to the spinal cord injury or disorder,
including a risk of comorbidities.
``(B) An assessment regarding chronic pain and, if
applicable, the management of chronic pain.
``(C) An assessment regarding dietary management and weight
management.
``(D) An assessment regarding prosthetic equipment,
including which prosthetic equipment the veteran needs, how
well any existing prosthetic equipment is functioning
considering the needs of the veteran, and any safety concerns
regarding the prosthetic equipment in use by or recommended to
the veteran.
``(E) An assessment for the provision of any assistive
technology that could help maximize the independence and
mobility of the veteran.
``(3)(A) In maintaining, prescribing, or amending any guidance,
rules, or regulations issued by the Department regarding the
requirements set out in this subsection, the Secretary shall consult
with the spinal cord injury and disorder program managers of the
Department, clinicians employed by the Department as specialists in
spinal cord injuries and disorders, and the organizations named in or
approved under section 5902 of this title.
``(B) Before issuing any guidance, rules, or regulations regarding
the requirements set out in this subsection, the Secretary shall
consult with manufacturers of assistive technologies and other entities
relevant to the provision of assistive technologies if the guidance,
rules, or regulations would directly affect such manufacturers or
entities.
``(C) The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent possible, that any
veteran known by the Secretary to have a spinal cord injury or disorder
receives information annually about the evaluation available under this
subsection and the benefits to the veteran of choosing to undergo the
evaluation.
``(4) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of
the Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices Act, and every two
years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a
report that includes the following:
``(A) For the period covered by the report, the number of
veterans who--
``(i) received medical care or hospital services
from the Department and used an assistive technology;
``(ii) received medical care or hospital services
from the Department and were assessed for the provision
of an assistive technology; and
``(iii) received medical care or hospital services
from the Department and were prescribed an assistive
technology.
``(B) The year-to-year change (for the period covered by
the report, including the two years immediately prior to year
the report is submitted) in the percent of veterans with a
spinal cord injury or disorder who received an evaluation under
this subsection.
``(5) In reviewing the performance metrics of a Veterans Integrated
Service Network for any year beginning after the date that is one year
after the date of the enactment of the Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to
New Devices Act, the Secretary shall consider the provision of
evaluations under paragraph (1).
``(6) In this subsection, the term `assistive technology' means a
powered medical device or electronic tool used to treat or alleviate
symptoms or conditions caused by a spinal cord injury or disorder,
including the following:
``(A) A personal mobility device, including a powered
exoskeleton device.
``(B) A speech generating device.''.
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