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[Pages S4079-S4080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ENSURING QUALITY CARE FOR OUR VETERANS ACT
Mr. PERDUE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 422, S. 123.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 123) to require the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to enter into a contract or other agreement with a
third party to review appointees in the Veterans Health
Administration who had a license terminated for cause by a
State licensing board for care or services rendered at a non-
Veterans Health Administration facility and to provide
individuals treated by such an appointee with notice if it is
determined that an episode of care or services to which they
received was below the standard of care, and for other
purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mr. PERDUE. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read
a
[[Page S4080]]
third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered
made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 123) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading,
was read the third time, and passed, as follows
S. 123
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 ``Ensuring Quality Care for
Our Veterans Act''.
SEC. 2. THIRD PARTY REVIEW OF APPOINTEES IN VETERANS HEALTH
ADMINISTRATION WHO HAD A LICENSE TERMINATED FOR
CAUSE AND NOTICE TO INDIVIDUALS TREATED BY
THOSE APPOINTEES IF DETERMINED THAT AN EPISODE
OF CARE OR SERVICES TO WHICH THEY RECEIVED WAS
BELOW THE STANDARD OF CARE.
(a) Third Party Review.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall enter into a contract or other agreement with an
organization that is not part of the Federal Government to
conduct a clinical review for quality management of hospital
care or medical services furnished by covered providers.
(2) Qualifications.--The Secretary shall ensure that each
review of a covered provider under this subsection is
performed by an individual who is licensed in the same
specialty as the covered provider.
(b) Notice to Patients Treated by Covered Providers.--With
respect to hospital care or medical services furnished by a
covered provider under the laws administered by the
Secretary, if a clinical review for quality management under
subsection (a) determines that the standard of care was not
met during an episode of care, the Secretary shall notify the
individual who received such care or services from the
covered provider as described in applicable policy of the
Veterans Heath Administration.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered provider.--The term ``covered provider'' means
an individual who--
(A) was appointed to the Veterans Health Administration
under section 7401 of title 38, United States Code; and
(B) had a license terminated for cause by a State licensing
board for hospital care or medical services provided in a
facility that is not a facility of the Veterans Health
Administration.
(2) Hospital care or medical services.--The terms
``hospital care'' and ``medical services'' have the meanings
given those terms in section 1701 of title 38, United States
Code.
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