[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 654 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 654

    To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external 
   provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans 
  Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the 
        Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 20, 2025

   Mr. Moran (for himself, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Boozman, and Mr. Budd) 
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 establish an external 
   provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans 
  Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the 
        Veterans Community Care Program, 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. EXTERNAL PROVIDER SCHEDULING PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1703G 
        the following new section:
``Sec. 1703H. External Provider Scheduling Program
    ``(a) In General.--There is established within the Department a 
national External Provider Scheduling Program (in this section referred 
to as the `Program') to assist the Department in scheduling 
appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care 
Program under section 1703 of this title.
    ``(b) Elements of Program.--The Program shall consist of technology 
that allows schedulers of the Department to view the schedules of 
health care providers participating in the Veterans Community Care 
Program under section 1703 of this title and schedule, in real-time, 
appointments for care and services under such section.
    ``(c) Use of Contracts.--The Secretary shall carry out the Program 
through an existing contract entered into by the Department, if 
feasible, or a new contract.
    ``(d) Reduction in Wait Times.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
Program--
            ``(1) reduces the time (measured in days) from referral of 
        veterans to health care providers under the Veterans Community 
        Care Program under section 1703 of this title to the actual 
        scheduling of appointments for care or services under such 
        section; and
            ``(2) reduces the time (measured in days and hours) for 
        schedulers of the Department to schedule appointments for care 
        or services under such section.
    ``(e) Annual Report.--Not later than September 30 of each year 
through 2028, 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 on the progress of the Secretary in 
establishing the Program.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is 
        amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1703G 
        the following new item:

``1703H. External Provider Scheduling Program.''.
    (b) Availability of Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall ensure that the national External Provider Scheduling Program 
established under section 1703H of title 38, United States Code, as 
added by subsection (a)(1), is available to all medical centers of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs by not later than September 30, 2025.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--Section 1703 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)(A), by inserting ``, including 
        pursuant to the program under section 1703H of this title,'' 
        after ``medical appointments''; and
            (2) in subsection (h)(2)(B), by inserting ``, including 
        pursuant to the program under section 1703H of this title'' 
        before the period at the end.
                                 <all>