,i  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #ebhf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,july #cj1 #bjad ,mr4 
,l>son ( ,connecticut introduc$ ! foll[+
 bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to      
provide = a m equitable geographic      
allocation ( funds appropriat$ to !     
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs = m$ical  
c>e4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be  
cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,equitable ,treatm5t  
,act4  #b4 ,/&>d = "t = ref]ral =       
speciali/ c>e  7a7 ,"t = speciali/      
appo9tm5ts  7#a7 ,requirem5t ,!         
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
e/abli% by regulation a maximum         
speciali/ ref]ral p]iod1 subject to su* 
exceptions z ! ,secret>y consid]s       
necess>y4  7#b7 ,speciali/ ref]ral p]iod
 def9$ ,= purposes ( p>agraph 7#a71 !   
t]m speciali/ ref]ral p]iod means !     
p]iod ( "t betwe5 7,a7 ! date on :i* a  
vet]an is ref]r$ to a specialty cl9ic ( 
! ,dep>tm5t by ! vet]an's prim>y c>e    

physician )9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs heal? c>e sy/em1 & 7,b7 ! date 
= :i* ! vet]an is s*$ul$ = an appo9tm5t 
) a ,dep>tm5t speciali/ pursuant to su* 
ref]ral4  7#c7 ,dep>tm5t policies ,9    
e/abli%+ a maximum speciali/ ref]ral    
p]iod "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all
 act 9 a mann] consi/5t ) ! curr5t      
treatm5t policies ( ! ,dep>tm5t bas$ on 
cl9ical ne$ & ) ! e/abli%$ #cj-cj-bj    
p]=mance goal ( ! ,dep>tm5t = su* a     
ref]ral p]iod4  7b7 ,/&>d =             
transportation ,! ,secret>y %all take   
su* /eps z necess>y to ensure t !       
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs is able to
 provide appropriate transportation     
s]vices = qualifi$ vet]ans )9 a         
reasonable "t p]iod ( a s*$ul$          
appo9tm5t4  #c4 ,contract c>e to be     
provid$ :5 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 c>e n available 9 accordance ) /&>ds   
7a7 ,contract c>e ,9 any case 9 :i* !   
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs is n able 
to provide hospital c>e or m$ical       
s]vices 9 accordance ) ! /&>d prescrib$ 

"u section #b7;a7 or to provide         
transportation s]vices 9 accordance )   
section #b7;b71 ! ,secret>y %all        
promptly provide = su* c>e or           
transportation f a private s\rce4       
,hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices s       
provid$ %all be ^? = :i* ! vet]an is    
o!rwise eligible )9 ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical c>e sy/em4  7b7
 ,reimbursem5t rate ,:5ev] c>e or       
s]vices are provid$ "u subsection 7a71 !
 ,secret>y %all reimburse ! provid] (   
su* c>e or s]vices = ! reasonable value 
( su* c>e or s]vices1 z det]m9$ by !    
,secret>y4 ,su* reimbursem5t %all be    
provid$ 9 ! same mann] z applies to     
reimbursem5t = em]g5cy treatm5t "u      
section #agbe ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates
 ,code1 subject to su* ( ! t]ms &       
conditions o!rwise applicable to su*    
reimbursem5ts "u su* section z !        
,secret>y det]m9es to be appropriate =  
purposes ( ?is section4  7c7 ,exp$it$   
reimbursem5t proc$ures ,! ,secret>y %all
 take appropriate /eps to exp$ite !     

reimbursem5t requir$ by subsection 7b7 &
 consi/5t ) ! ,vet]ans ,heal?           
,adm9i/ration policy t #ij p]c5t ( all  
non-,,va ,contract ,c>e claims are      
process$ )9 #cj days ( receipt4 ,su*    
/eps may include /eps to make use (     
advanc$ te*nology1 su* z sm>t c>d       
te*nology t w\ld all[ claims = su*      
reimbursem5t to be process$             
electronically4 ,! ,secret>y %all1 to ! 
ext5t possible1 also apply su* /eps =   
exp$it+ reimbursem5t to claims = em]g5cy
 s]vices provid$ to vet]ans = :i* !     
,secret>y provides reimbursem5t "u      
provisions ( law 9 effect be=e ! date ( 
! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  #d4 ,t]m9ation (
 #bd-mon? rule = reimbursem5t = em]g5cy 
s]vices ,! provisions ( subp>agraph 7,b7
 ( section #agbe7;b77#b7 ( title #ch1   
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 %all n apply )     
respect to em]g5cy treatm5t furni%$ on  
or aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 
#e4 ,reports ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans    
,affairs %all submit to ! ,committees on
 ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ,h\se (

 ,repres5tatives a report at ! end ( ea*
 fiscal-ye> qu>t] on ! wait+ times =    
appo9tm5ts 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs m$ical c>e sy/em4 ,! report    
%all describe any r$uctions 9 su* wait+ 
times & any exp]i5ce ) appo9tm5t delays4