[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4009 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4009
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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 21, 2024
Mr. Moran (for himself and Mr. Tester) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and 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.
(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1712C the following
new section:
``Sec. 1713. Preventative health evaluations for veterans with a spinal
cord injury or disorder
``(a) Health Evaluations.--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.
``(b) Assessments.--The evaluation described in subsection (a)
shall include the following:
``(1) An assessment of any circumstance or condition the
veteran is experiencing that indicates a risk for any health
complication related to a spinal cord injury or disorder,
including a risk of comorbidities.
``(2) An assessment regarding chronic pain and, if
applicable, the management of chronic pain.
``(3) An assessment regarding dietary management and weight
management.
``(4) 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.
``(5) An assessment for the provision of any assistive
technology that could help maximize the independence and
mobility of the veteran.
``(c) Consultation.--
``(1) Spinal cord injury and disorder program managers.--In
maintaining, prescribing, or amending any guidance, rules, or
regulations issued by the Department regarding the requirements
set out in this section, 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.
``(2) Manufacturers and other entities.--In issuing any
guidance, rules, or regulations regarding the requirements set
out in this section, the Secretary may 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.
``(d) Information on Evaluation.--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 section and the benefits to the veteran
of choosing to undergo the evaluation.
``(e) Use of Evaluation in Performance Reviews.--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 this
section.
``(f) Report.--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 Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that includes the
following:
``(1) For the period covered by the report--
``(A) the number of veterans who received hospital
care or medical services from the Department and used
an assistive technology;
``(B) the number of veterans who received hospital
care or medical services from the Department and were
assessed for the provision of an assistive technology;
and
``(C) the number of veterans who received hospital
care or medical services from the Department and were
prescribed an assistive technology.
``(2) For the two-year period immediately prior to year the
report is submitted, the year-to-year change in the percentage
of veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder who received
an evaluation under this section.
``(g) Assistive Technology Defined.--In this section, 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:
``(1) A personal mobility device, including a powered
exoskeleton device.
``(2) A speech generating device.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 17 of such title is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 1712C the following new item:
``1713. Preventative health evaluations for veterans with a spinal cord
injury or disorder.''.
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