,i  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ebhf  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,july #cj1 #bjad ,mr4
 ,larson of ,connecticut introduced the 
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code1 to provide for a more    
equitable geographic allocation of funds
 appropriated to the ,department of     
,veterans ,affairs for medical care4    
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,veterans ,equitable ,treatment 
,act4  #b4 ,standard for time for       
referral for specialist care  7a7 ,time 
for specialist appointments  7#a7       
,requirement ,the ,secretary of         
,veterans ,affairs shall establish by   
regulation a maximum specialist referral
 period1 subject to such exceptions as  
the ,secretary considers necessary4     
7#b7 ,specialist referral period defined
 ,for purposes of paragraph 7#a71 the   
term specialist referral period means   
the period of time between 7,a7 the date

 on which a veteran is referred to a    
specialty clinic of the ,department by  
the veteran's primary care physician    
within the ,department of ,veterans     
,affairs health care system1 and 7,b7   
the date for which the veteran is       
scheduled for an appointment with a     
,department specialist pursuant to such 
referral4  7#c7 ,department policies ,in
 establishing a maximum specialist      
referral period under paragraph 7#a71   
the ,secretary shall act in a manner    
consistent with the current treatment   
policies of the ,department based on    
clinical need and with the established  
#cj-cj-bj performance goal of the       
,department for such a referral period4 
7b7 ,standard for transportation ,the   
,secretary shall take such steps as     
necessary to ensure that the ,department
 of ,veterans ,affairs is able to       
provide appropriate transportation      
services for qualified veterans within a
 reasonable time period of a scheduled  
appointment4  #c4 ,contract care to be  

provided when ,department of ,veterans  
,affairs care not available in          
accordance with standards  7a7 ,contract
 care ,in any case in which the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs is not 
able to provide hospital care or medical
 services in accordance with the        
standard prescribed under section #b7;a7
 or to provide transportation services  
in accordance with section #b7;b71 the  
,secretary shall promptly provide for   
such care or transportation from a      
private source4 ,hospital care or       
medical services so provided shall be   
those for which the veteran is otherwise
 eligible within the ,department of     
,veterans ,affairs medical care system4 
7b7 ,reimbursement rate ,whenever care  
or services are provided under          
subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall    
reimburse the provider of such care or  
services for the reasonable value of    
such care or services1 as determined by 
the ,secretary4 ,such reimbursement     
shall be provided in the same manner as 

applies to reimbursement for emergency  
treatment under section #agbe of title  
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 subject to  
such of the terms and conditions        
otherwise applicable to such            
reimbursements under such section as the
 ,secretary determines to be appropriate
 for purposes of this section4  7c7     
,expedited reimbursement procedures ,the
 ,secretary shall take appropriate steps
 to expedite the reimbursement required 
by subsection 7b7 and consistent with   
the ,veterans ,health ,administration   
policy that #ij percent of all non-,,va 
,contract ,care claims are processed    
within #cj days of receipt4 ,such steps 
may include steps to make use of        
advanced technology1 such as smart card 
technology that would allow claims for  
such reimbursement to be processed      
electronically4 ,the ,secretary shall1  
to the extent possible1 also apply such 
steps for expediting reimbursement to   
claims for emergency services provided  
to veterans for which the ,secretary    

provides reimbursement under provisions 
of law in effect before the date of the 
enactment of this ,act4  #d4            
,termination of #bd-month rule for      
reimbursement for emergency services    
,the provisions of subparagraph 7,b7 of 
section #agbe7;b77#b7 of title #ch1     
,united ,states ,code1 shall not apply  
with respect to emergency treatment     
furnished on or after the date of the   
enactment of this ,act4  #e4 ,reports   
,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs   
shall submit to the ,committees on      
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and  
,house of ,representatives a report at  
the end of each fiscal-year quarter on  
the waiting times for appointments in   
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
medical care system4 ,the report shall  
describe any reductions in such waiting 
times and any experience with           
appointment delays4