,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bcaa  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,may #h1 #bjad ,mr4    
,te/] 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,udall ( ,new    
,mexico1 ,mr4 ,begi*1 & ,mr4 ,wal%7     
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to      
include lic5s$ he>+ aid speciali/s z    
eligible = appo9tm5t 9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal?
 ,adm9i/ration ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans 
,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4        
,appo9tm5t ( lic5s$ he>+ aid speciali/s 
9 ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration  7a7    
,lic5s$ he>+ aid speciali/s  7#a7       
,appo9tm5t  ,section #gdja7c7 ( title   
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by   
ins]t+ lic5s$ he>+ aid speciali/s1 aft] 
,audiologi/s14  7#b7  ,qualifications   
,section #gdjb7;b77#ad7 ( su* title is  
am5d$ by ins]t+ lic5s$ he>+ aid         
speciali/1 aft] lic5s$ physical !rapi/14
  7b7  ,annual report  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 ( vet]ans  
to he>+ heal? s]vices ?r\gh ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  7,b7 ,contract+   
policies ( ! ,dep>tm5t ) respect to     
provid+ he>+ heal? s]vices to vet]ans 9 
facilities t are n facilities ( !       
,dep>tm5t4  7#b7  ,timely access to     
s]vices  ,ea* report %all1 ) respect to 
! matt] specifi$ 9 p>agraph 7#a77;,a7 = 
! "o-ye> p]iod prec$+ ! submittal ( su* 
report1 include ! foll[+3  7,a7 ,! /aff+
 levels ( audiologi/s1 he>+ aid         
speciali/s1 & heal? te*nicians 9        
audiology 9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal?           
,adm9i/ration4  7,b7 ,a description ( ! 
metrics us$ by ! ,secret>y 9 measur+    
p]=mance ) respect to appo9tm5ts & c>e  
relat+ to he>+ heal?4  7,c7 ,! av]age "t
 t a vet]an waits to receive an         
appo9tm5t1 beg9n+ on ! date on :i* !    
vet]an makes ! reque/1 = ! foll[+3  7i7 
,a disability rat+ evaluation = a       

he>+-relat$ disability4  7ii7 ,a he>+   
aid evaluation4  7iii7 ,disp5s+ ( he>+  
aids4  7iv7 ,any foll[-up he>+ heal?    
appo9tm5t4  7,d7 ,! p]c5tage ( vet]ans  
^: total wait "t = appo9tm5ts describ$ 9
 subp>agraph 7,c71 includ+ an initial & 
foll[-up appo9tm5t1 if applicable1 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 m ?an #ef days4  7#c7     
,contract+ policies ,ea* report %all1 ) 
respect to ! matt] specifi$ 9 p>agraph  
7#a77;,b7 = ! "o-ye> p]iod prec$+ !     
submittal ( su* report1 include !       
foll[+3  7,a7 ,! numb] ( vet]ans t !    
,secret>y ref]s to non-,dep>tm5t        
audiologi/s = he>+ heal? c>e appo9tm5ts4
  7,b7 ,( ! vet]ans describ$ 9          
subp>agraph 7,a71 ! numb] ( vet]ans t ! 
,secret>y ref]s to non-,dep>tm5t he>+   
aid speciali/s = foll[-up appo9tm5ts = a
 he>+ aid evaluation1 ! disp5s+ ( he>+  
aids1 or any o!r purpose relat+ to he>+ 
heal?4  7,c7 ,! policies ( ! ,vet]ans   

,heal? ,adm9i/ration reg>d+ ! ref]ral ( 
vet]ans to non-,dep>tm5t he>+ aid       
speciali/s & a description ( ! mann] 9  
:i* su* policies w be appli$ "u !       
,pati5t-,c5t]$ ,community ,c>e program (
 ! ,dep>tm5t4