,i  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #daia  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #aa1 #bjad ,mr4  
,walz 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,b>b]1 ,mr4      
,d5ham1 ,ms4 ,e/y1 ,ms4 ,frankel (      
,florida1 ,ms4 ,ku/]1 & ,mr4 ,o',r\rke7 
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 to improve ! treatm5t (   
m$ical evid5ce provid$ by non-,dep>tm5t 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical pr(essionals 
9 support ( claims = disability         
comp5sation "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !     
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r  
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,quick] ,vet]ans ,b5efits  
,deliv]y ,act4  #b4 ,treatm5t ( m$ical  
evid5ce provid$ by non-,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical pr(essionals 9 
support ( claims = disability           
comp5sation  7a7 ,acceptance ( reports (
 private physician exam9ations ,section 
#eabe ( su* title is am5d$--  7#a7 by   
/rik+ ,= purposes & ins]t+ 7a7 ,9       

g5]al4--2  7#b7 by /rik+ may & ins]t+   
%all2 &  7#c7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ 
new subsection3  7b7 ,suffici5tly       
complete def9$ ,= purposes ( a report   
describ$ 9 subsection 7a71 ! t]m        
suffici5tly complete means compet5t1    
cr$ible1 probative1 & conta9+ su*       
in=mation z may be requir$ to make a    
decision on ! claim = :i* ! report is   
provid$4  4  7b7 ,effective date ,!     
am5dm5t made by subsection 7a7 %all     
apply ) respect to m$ical evid5ce       
submitt$ aft] ! date t is #ij days aft] 
! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  #c4    
,report on progress ( ,acceptable       
,cl9ical ,evid5ce initiative  7a7 ,9    
g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y    
%all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'
 ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives a report on ! progress (
 ! ,acceptable ,cl9ical ,evid5ce        
initiative ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs 9 r$uc+ ! necessity = 9-p]son  

disability exam9ations & o!r ef=ts to   
comply ) ! provisions ( section #eabe ( 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ 
by section #b4  7b7 ,cont5ts ( report ,!
 report requir$ by subsection 7a7 %all  
include ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,! numb] (      
claims eligible = ! ,acceptable ,cl9ical
 ,evid5ce initiative dur+ ! p]iod beg9n+
 on ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1     
disaggregat$ by fiscal ye>4  7#b7 ,!    
total numb] ( claims eligible = !       
,acceptable ,cl9ical ,evid5ce initiative
 t requir$ a m$ical exam9] ( ! ,dep>tm5t
 to supplem5t ! evid5ce ) in=mation     
obta9$ dur+ a telephone int]view ) a    
claimant4  7#c7 ,in=mation on any o!r   
initiatives or ef=ts ( ! ,dep>tm5t to   
fur!r enc\rage ! use ( private m$ical   
evid5ce & reliance ^u reports ( a m$ical
 exam9ation adm9i/]$ by a private       
physician if ! report is suffici5tly    
complete to be adequate = ! purposes (  
adjudicat+ a claim4  7#d7 ,! anticipat$ 
impact on ! timel9e & accuracy ( a      
decision on a claim = b5efits "u *apt]  

#aa or #ae ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates   
,code1 if ! ,secret>y 7 prohibit$ f     
reque/+ a m$ical exam9ation 9 ! case ( a
 claim 9 support ( :i* a claimant       
submits m$ical evid5ce & a m$ical op9ion
 provid$ by a private physician t is    
compet5t1 cr$ible1 probative1 & o!rwise 
adequate = ! purpose ( mak+ a decision  
on t claim4  7#e7 ,recomm5dations on h[ 
! ,dep>tm5t c measure1 track1 & prev5t !
 ord]+ ( unnecess>y m$ical exam9ations  
:5 ! provision by a claimant ( a m$ical 
exam9ation adm9i/]$ by a private        
physician 9 support ( a claim = b5efits 
"u *apt] #aa or #ae ( title #ch1 ,unit$ 
,/ates ,code1 is adequate = ! purpose ( 
mak+ a decision on t claim4  #d4 ,annual
 report ,n lat] ?an ,m>* #a ( ea* ye>1 !
 ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all     
submit to ,congress a report t includes1
 = ! cal5d> ye> prec$+ ! ye> 9 :i* !    
report is submitt$1 ! foll[+ = ea*      
regional (fice ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans 
,affairs3  7#a7 ,! numb] ( times a      
vet]an :o submitt$ private m$ical       

evid5ce 9 support ( a claim =           
comp5sation or p5sion "u ! laws adm9i/]$
 by ! ,secret>y 0 s*$ul$ = an exam9ation
 p]=m$ by ,dep>tm5t p]sonnel because !  
private m$ical evid5ce submitt$ 0       
det]m9$ to be unacceptable4  7#b7 ,! mo/
 common reasons :y private m$ical       
evid5ce submitt$ 9 support ( claims =   
b5efits "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !         
,secret>y 0 det]m9$ to be unacceptable4 
7#c7 ,! types ( disabilities = :i*      
claims = b5efits "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !
 ,secret>y 7 mo/ly commonly d5i$ :5     
private m$ical evid5ce 0 submitt$4