,i  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cejh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,novemb] #ae1 #bjac   
,mr4 ,duffy 7= himself & ,mr4 ,walz7    
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 to cl>ify ! qualifications
 ( he>+ aid speciali/s ( ! ,vet]ans     
,heal? ,adm9i/ration ( ! ,dep>tm5t (    
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,appo9tm5t ( he>+ aid speciali/s to 
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration  7a7 ,he>+
 aid speciali/s  7#a7 ,appo9tm5t        
,section #gdja7c7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$   
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ he>+   
aid speciali/s1 aft] ,audiologi/s14     
7#b7 ,qualifications ,section #gdjb7;b7 
( su* title is am5d$--  7,a7 by         
r$esignat+ p>agraph 7#ad7 z p>agraph    
7#ae72 &  7,b7 by ins]t+ aft] p>agraph  
7#ac7 ! foll[+ new p>agraph 7#ad73      
7#ad7 ,he>+ aid speciali/ ,to be        
eligible to be appo9t$ to a he>+ aid    
speciali/ position1 a p]son mu/--  7,a7 

hold an associate's degree 9 he>+       
in/rum5t sci5ces1 or its equival5t1 f a 
college or univ]sity approv$ by !       
,secret>y1 or h successfully complet$ a 
he>+ aid speciali/ appr5tice%ip program 
approv$ by ! ,secret>y2 &  7,b7 be      
lic5s$ z a he>+ aid speciali/1 or its   
equival5t1 9 a ,/ate4  4  7b7 ,treatm5t 
( c]ta9 curr5t speciali/s  7#a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,a he>+ aid speciali/ describ$ 9       
p>agraph 7#b7 %all be deem$ to be       
eligible = appo9tm5t to a he>+ aid      
speciali/ position "u sections #gdja7c7 
& #gdjb7;b77#ad7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$    
,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ by subsection 7a74
  7#b7 ,he>+ aid speciali/ describ$ ,a  
he>+ aid speciali/ describ$ 9 ?is       
p>agraph is a he>+ aid speciali/ :o--   
7,a7 is n cov]$ "u section              
#gdjb7;b77#ad7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ by subsection 7a72
 &  7,b7 dur+ ! two-ye> p]iod end+ on ! 
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act--  7i7 held
 an unrevok$1 unsusp5d$ he>+ aid lic5se1
 or its equival5t1 9 a ,/ate2 &  7ii7   

work$ z a lic5s$ he>+ aid speciali/ 9 a 
,/ate4  7c7 ,annual report requir$  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date
 ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 & ea* ye>     
!reaft]1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 %all submit to ,congress a report on ! 
foll[+3  7,a7 ,timely access to he>+    
heal? s]vices4  7,b7 ,contract+ policies
 ) respect to provid+ he>+ heal? s]vices
 9 non-,dep>tm5t facilities4  7#b7      
,timely access ,) respect to ! matt]s "u
 p>agraph 7#a77;,a71 ! report %all      
include ! foll[+3  7,a7 ,! /aff+ levels1
 z ( ! date ( ! report1 ( audiologi/s1  
heal? te*nicians 9 audiology1 & he>+ aid
 speciali/s 9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal?         
,adm9i/ration4  7,b7 ,a description ( h[
 ! ,secret>y measures p]=mance ) respect
 to appo9tm5ts & c>e relat+ to he>+     
heal?4  7,c7 ,! av]age "t1 z ( ! date ( 
! report1 t a pati5t waits to receive an
 appo9tm5t1 beg9n+ on ! date on :i* !   
pati5t makes ! reque/1 =--  7i7 a       
disability rat+ evaluation2  7ii7 a     
prim>y he>+ aid evaluation & ord]+ (    

he>+ aids2  7iii7 disp5s+ ( he>+ aids2 &
  7iv7 any foll[-up he>+ heal?          
appo9tm5t4  7,d7 ,! p]c5tage ( pati5ts  
^: total wait "t describ$ 9 subp>agraph 
7,c7 = bo? an initial & foll[-up        
appo9tm5t is--  7i7 less ?an #ae days2  
7ii7 betwe5 #ae days & #bh days2  7iii7 
betwe5 #bi days & #db days2  7iv7 betwe5
 #dc days & #ef days2 or  7v7 exce$s #ef
 days4  7#c7 ,contract+ policies ,)     
respect to ! matt]s "u p>agraph         
7#a77;,b71 ! report %all include !      
foll[+3  7,a7 ,! numb] ( pati5ts t !    
,secret>y ref]s to non-,dep>tm5t        
audiologi/s = initial he>+ heal?        
diagnosis appo9tm5ts4  7,b7 ,! numb] (  
pati5ts describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a7 :om 
! ,secret>y ref]s to non-,dep>tm5t he>+ 
aid speciali/s = foll[-up he>+ heal? c>e
 z describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b77;,c74  7,c7 
,! policies ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?         
,adm9i/ration reg>d+ ! ref]ral ( pati5ts
 to non-,dep>tm5t he>+ aid speciali/s & 
h[ su* policies w be appli$ "u !        
,pati5t-,c5t]$ ,community ,c>e          

,initiative4  7d7 ,updat$ h&book ,n lat]
 ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t 
( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all update &   
reissue ! h&book ( ! ,vet]an ,heal?     
,adm9i/ration numb]$ #aagj4jb & titl$   
,,vha ,audiology & ,spee*-,language     
,pa?ology ,s]vices to reflect !         
requirem5ts made by ?is section or !    
am5dm5ts "u ?is section4