S. 2401 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2401 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 22, 2014 Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Moran, Mr. Begich, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Walsh, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Mrs. McCaskill) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of the Medical Inspector within the Office of the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Increasing Medical Oversight in the Department of Veterans Affairs Act of 2014. 2. Office of the Medical Inspector (a) Establishment Subchapter I of chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 7310. Office of the Medical Inspector (a) In general There is established in the Department within the Office of the Under Secretary for Health an office to be known as the Office of the Medical Inspector (in this section referred to as the Office). (b) Head (1) The Medical Inspector shall be the head of the Office. (2) The Medical Inspector shall be appointed by the Secretary from among individuals qualified to perform the duties of the position. (3) The Medical Inspector shall report directly to the Under Secretary for Health. (c) Functions The functions of the Office shall include the following: (1) To review the quality of health care provided to veterans— (A) by the Department generally; and (B) by the Department through contracts with non-Department health care providers. (2) To review offices of the Veterans Health Administration that have an impact on the quality of health care provided to veterans by the Department and the performance of the Department in providing such care. (3) To review offices and facilities of the Veterans Health Administration to ensure that policies and procedures of the Department and the Veterans Health Administration are applied consistently at all such offices and facilities. (4) To investigate any systemic issues, as determined by the Medical Inspector, that arise within the Veterans Health Administration, including the following: (A) Improper issuance of credentials and privileges to health care providers. (B) Impediments to the access of veterans to health care from the Department. (C) Wait times for appointments by veterans at medical facilities of the Department in excess of wait-time goals established by the Department. (D) Intentional falsification by employees of the Department of information or data with respect to wait times for such appointments. (5) To establish temporary investigative teams to carry out reviews or investigations described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) in response to specific incidents or inquiries, including the following: (A) Investigations of complaints by a veteran, a family member of a veteran, or another individual that may require a visit to a facility or facilities of the Department. (B) Assessments to examine potential systemic issues within the Veterans Health Administration that may require the conduct of surveys, the collection of data, and the analysis of databases of the Department. (6) To recommend policies to promote economy and efficiency in the administration of, and to prevent and detect criminal activity, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in, programs and operations of the Veterans Health Administration. (7) To carry out any other tasks required of the Office by the Secretary or the Under Secretary for Health before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this section. (d) Reports (1) Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and periodically thereafter, the Medical Inspector shall submit to the Secretary, the Under Secretary for Health, and Congress reports on any problems or deficiencies encountered in programs and operations of the Veterans Health Administration, including any recommendations for corrective actions. (2) Each report required by paragraph (1) shall be made available to the public on an Internet website of the Department. (3) Any other report prepared by the Medical Inspector in carrying out the functions of the Office under this section shall be— (A) submitted to Congress; and (B) made available to the public on an Internet website of the Department. (e) Privacy matters Any medical or other personal information obtained by the Office shall be protected from disclosure or misuse in accordance with the laws on privacy applicable to such information. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 73 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7309 the following new item: 7310. Office of the Medical Inspector. . (c) Conforming amendments Section 7306(a) of such title is amended by— (1) redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (11); and (2) inserting after paragraph (9) the following new paragraph (10): (10) The Medical Inspector, who shall be the head of the Office of the Medical Inspector under section 7310 of this title. . (d) Continuation in office The individual serving as the Medical Inspector of the Department of Veterans Affairs on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act may serve as the Medical Inspector of the Department of Veterans Affairs after that date until the date on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs appoints an individual to be the Medical Inspector pursuant to section 7310(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).