,i  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #cheh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #ac1 #bjad,mr4
 ,k9z+] ( ,ill9ois introduc$ ! foll[+   
bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on   
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to      
direct ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
to ent] into contracts ) heal? c>e      
provid]s to improve heal? c>e access &  
c>e coord9ation = vet]ans1 & = o!r      
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title2 s5se (      
,congress  7a7 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,vet]an-,c5t]$ ,access to  
,coord9at$ ,heal? ,c>e ,act ( #bjad4    
7b7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se (    
,congress t-- 7#a7 vet]ans :o are       
au?oriz$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs to receive heal? c>e 9 !       
community mu/ n lose ! high quality1    
safety1 c>e coord9ation1 & o!r          
vet]an-c5tric elem5ts t ! heal? c>e     
sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
provides2  7#b7 _m vet]ans receive heal?
 c>e f bo? ! ,dep>tm5t & community      

provid]s b ! lack ( c>e coord9ation     
among ! ,dep>tm5t & community provid]s  
:5 vet]ans receive pur*as$ c>e places   
vet]ans at risk = poor heal? outcomes & 
results 9 ineffici5t use ( f9ite heal?  
c>e res\rces2  7#c7 vet]an-c5tric c>e   
coord9ation is associat$ ) improv$      
pati5t outcomes1 z ,dep>tm5t &          
non-,dep>tm5t heal? c>e teams coord9ate 
& collaborate to provide ! be/ c>e =    
vet]ans2 &  7#d7 if ! ,secret>y pur*ases
 c>e = vet]ans f ! private sector1 su*  
c>e mu/ be secur$ 9 a co/-effective     
mann]1 9 a way t complem5ts ! l>g] heal?
 c>e sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t by us+ indu/ry 
/&>ds = c>e & co/s4  #b4 ,compreh5sive  
contract c>e coord9ation program =      
vet]ans  7a7 ,9 g5]al  7#a7 ,type ( c>e 
,subsection 7a7 ( section #agjc ( title 
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ to   
read z foll[s3  7a7 7#a7 ,! ,secret>y   
%all provide an eligible vet]an ) cov]$ 
heal? s]vices t are provid$ by a        
non-,dep>tm5t entity :om ! ,secret>y    
ent]s into a contract ) "u ?is section  

if ! ,secret>y det]m9es t facilities ( !
 ,dep>tm5t are n capable (-- 7,a7       
economically furni%+ cov]$ heal? s]vices
 to su* vet]an because ( geographical   
inaccessibility2 or  7,b7 furni%+ cov]$ 
heal? s]vices to su* vet]an because su* 
facilities lack-- 7i7 ! requir$ p]sonnel
 :o are appropriately tra9$ & exp]i5c$2 
or  7ii7 ! ability to provide timely &  
reasonable access4  7#b7 ,except z      
o!rwise provid$ by ?is *apt] or o!r law1
 ! ,secret>y %all ensure t heal? c>e    
provid$ to a vet]an "u ?is title by a   
non-,dep>tm5t entity1 includ+ "u !      
,pati5t-,c5t]$ ,community ,c>e program  
or any o!r c>e-coord9ation program1 is  
provid$ 9 accordance ) ?is section4     
7#c7 ,! ,secret>y %all provide cov]$    
heal? s]vices pursuant to ?is *apt] at a
 location t is 9 accordance ) ! foll[+  
priority3 7,a7 ,a facility ( !          
,dep>tm5t4  7,b7 ,a facility ( a        
dep>tm5t or ag5cy ( ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t1 
or ( a univ]sity1 t ! ,secret>y has     
ent]$ into a %>+ agreem5t ) respect to  

provid+ su* heal? s]vices4  7,c7 ,a     
non-,dep>tm5t facility 9 accordance )   
?is section4  7,d7 ,a non-,dep>tm5t     
facility 9 accordance ) a provision (   
law o!r ?an ?is section4  7#d7 ,!       
,secret>y %all ensure t vet]ans :o      
receive heal? c>e "u ?is title f a      
non-,dep>tm5t entity are able to        
effici5tly re5t] ! heal? c>e sy/em ( !  
,dep>tm5t1 includ+ by coord9at+ c>e4    
7#e7 ,9 ?is subsection3 7,a7 ,! t]m     
cov]$ heal? s]vices means1 ) respect to 
an eligible vet]an1 any hospital c>e1   
m$ical s]vice1 rehabilitative s]vice1 or
 prev5tative heal? s]vice t is au?oriz$ 
to be provid$ by ! ,secret>y to ! vet]an
 "u ?is *apt] or any o!r provision (    
law4  7,b7 ,! t]m eligible vet]an means 
a vet]an enroll$ 9 ! heal? c>e sy/em    
e/abli%$ "u section #agje7;a7 ( ?is     
title :o elects to receive c>e "u ?is   
section4  4  7#b7 ,qualifi$ entities2   
c>e coord9ation ,su* section is am5d$ by
 add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new subsections3
  7e7 ,! ,secret>y %all ent] into a     

contract ) a non-,dep>tm5t entity "u ?is
 section4 ,! ,secret>y %all ensure t !  
res\rces ( ! ,dep>tm5t are n us$ to     
duplicate adm9i/rative functions &      
in=mation te*nology sy/ems t are provid$
 by ! non-,dep>tm5t entity "u su* a     
contract4 ,a non-,dep>tm5t entity %all  
be eligible = su* a contract if ! entity
 demon/rates exp]i5ce ) respect to--    
7#a7 ! ability to provide non-,dep>tm5t 
heal? c>e s]vices to vet]ans2  7#b7     
meet+ or exce$+ int]nal cr$5tial+ /&>ds 
( ! ,dep>tm5t & /&>ds ( ! ,utilization  
,review ,accr$itation ,commission2  7#c7
 hav+ c>e coord9ators :o help vet]ans   
make1 confirm1 & keep m$ical appo9tm5ts2
  7#d7 hav+ ! ability to obta9 cl9ical  
in=mation f non-,dep>tm5t entities &    
submit su* in=mation to ! ,dep>tm5t2    
7#e7 hav+-- 7,a7 exp]i5ce us+ an        
in=mation te*nology sy/em t-- 7i7 has ! 
ability to track & monitor vet]ans t is 
accessible by employees ( ! ,dep>tm5t   
us+ a portal on an ,int]net website2 &  
7ii7 all[s vet]ans to file compla9ts2 & 

7,b7 ! ability to respond to pot5tial   
quality indicators & pati5t safety      
ev5ts2 &  7#f7 hav+ ! exp]i5ce & ability
 to-- 7,a7 process claims 9 ! provid]   
network2  7,b7 bill a ?ird p>ty 7z def9$
 9 section #agbe7;f77#b7 ( ?is title7 = 
c>e provid$ "u ?is section1 z           
appropriate2 &  7,c7 transmit directly  
to ! ,secret>y any am\nts receiv$       
pursuant to subp>agraph 7,b74  7f7 ,9   
c>ry+ out ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all 
ensure ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,) respect to ea* 
m$ical c5t] ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 ! ,secret>y  
is consi/5t 9 det]m9+ ! eligibility (   
vet]ans "u subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,!     
,secret>y requires c>e coord9ators ( a  
non-,dep>tm5t entity describ$ 9         
subsection 7e77#c7 :o w coord9ate c>e ( 
a vet]an by ! entity ) a c>e coord9ator 
( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#c7 ,! ,dep>tm5t & a   
non-,dep>tm5t entity "u ?is section     
ex*ange cl9ical in=mation to improve bo?
 cl9ical decisionmak+ & ! c>e a vet]an  
receives4  7#d7 ,bo? non-,dep>tm5t      
facilities "u ?is section & ,dep>tm5t   

facilities meet p]=mance metrics        
reg>d+-- 7,a7 ! quality ( heal? c>e     
provid$2  7,b7 ! satisfaction ( vet]ans2
  7,c7 cl9ical in=mation return )9 #cj  
days ( a heal? c>e visit ( a pati5t2    
7,d7 a no-%[ rate at a rate less ?an !  
indu/ry /&>d2  7,e7 claims be+ paid )9  
#cj days2  7,f7 timely access to heal?  
c>e1 includ+ initial appo9tm5ts occurr+ 
less ?an #cj days aft] be+ reque/$2     
7,g7 co/ effectiv5ess2 &  7,h7 suffici5t
 volume & case mix to ensure            
co/-effective v5dor prices4  7g7 7#a7 ,n
 lat] ?an ,octob] #ca ( ea* ye>1 !      
,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committee on
 ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !      
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on c>e 
provid$ "u ?is section1 includ+-- 7,a7 !
 co/ to ! ,dep>tm5t2  7,b7 ! numb] (    
vet]ans receiv+ c>e "u ?is section z    
comp>$ to ! numb] ( vet]ans receiv+ c>e 
f non-,dep>tm5t facilities "u o!r       
provisions ( law2  7,c7 ! quality ( su* 
c>e & ! satisfaction ( su* vet]ans2     

7,d7 ! p]=mance metrics "u subsection   
7f77#d72 &  7,e7 o!r matt]s ! ,secret>y 
consid]s appropriate4  7#b7 ,n lat] ?an 
,m>* #a ( ea* odd-numb]$ ye>1 !         
,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committee on
 ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !      
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on !   
allocation ( res\rces ) respect to c>e  
provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t & by             
non-,dep>tm5t facilities4  4  7#c7      
,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by ?is 
subsection %all take effect #ahj days   
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4    
7b7 ,reau?orization ( ,project ,ar*     
,section #djc ( ! ,vet]ans' ,m5tal      
,heal? & ,o!r ,c>e ,improvem5ts ,act (  
#bjjh 7,public ,law #aaj-chg2 #ch       
,u4,s4,c4 #agjc note7 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9 
subsection 7a77#c71 by /rik+ ,a vet]an &
 ins]t+ ,except z provid$ by subsection 
7i71 a vet]an2 &  7#b7 by add+ at ! end 
! foll[+ new subsection3  7i7           
,reau?orization  7#a7 ,recomm5cem5t ,n  
lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( !       

enactm5t ( ! ,vet]an-,c5t]$             
,collaborative ,heal? ,c>e ,act ( #bjad1
 ! ,secret>y %all aga9 comm5ce ! conduct
 ( ! pilot program "u subsection        
7a77#a74  7#b7 ,program locations       
,not)/&+ subsection 7a77#d71 ! ,secret>y
 %all c>ry out ! pilot program pursuant 
to p>agraph 7#a7 )9 ea* ,vet]ans        
,integrat$ ,s]vice ,network4  7#c7      
,appo9tm5ts ,9 c>ry+ out ! pilot program
 pursuant to p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y 
%all ensure t m$ical appo9tm5ts =       
vet]ans occur dur+ ! #cj-;day p]iod     
beg9n+ on ! date t is #ae days aft] !   
date on :i* ! appo9tm5t is reque/$4     
7#d7 ,outrea* ,! ,secret>y %all ensure t
 a vet]an eligible = ! pilot program    
c>ri$ out pursuant to p>agraph 7#a7 is  
in=m$ ( su* program4  7#e7 ,t]m9ation ,!
 au?ority ( ! ,secret>y to c>ry out !   
pilot program pursuant to p>agraph 7#a7 
%all t]m9ate on ! date t is ?ree ye>s   
aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y comm5ces 
su* program "u su* p>agraph4  4