S. 2423 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2423 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 3, 2014 Mrs. Shaheen introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To improve wait times for appointments for hospital care, medical services, and other health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, to improve accountability of employees responsible for long wait times for such appointments, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Access to Care Accountability Act. 2. Audits by the Comptroller General of the United States The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct random, periodic audits of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Veterans Integrated Service Networks, to assess whether such facilities and Networks are complying with all standards imposed by law or by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with respect to the timely access of veterans to hospital care, medical services, and other health care from the Department. 3. Improvement of wait times for appointments for hospital care, medical services, and other health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, upon receipt of a report described in subsection (b) that finds that an eligible veteran has been subjected to a wait time of more than 30 days for an appointment for hospital care, medical services, or other health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs— (1) not later than 48 hours after the receipt of such report, notify such eligible veteran of the status of the appointment of such eligible veteran for such care or services; and (2) make every effort possible to schedule an appointment for such eligible veteran for such care or services at a medical facility of the Department or through a non-Department health care provider on a date that is not later than seven days after the receipt of such report. (b) Report described A report described in this subsection is any report as follows: (1) Any report of the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to the provision by the Department of hospital care, medical services, or other health care to veterans. (2) Any report of the Comptroller General of the United States with respect to the provision by the Department of such care or services. (3) Any report of the Department or another organization with respect to the provision by the Department of such care or services within a Veterans Integrated Service Network or medical facility of the Department. (4) Any other report of the Department with respect to the provision by the Department of such care or services. (c) Privacy Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter privacy rules of the Department with respect to the disclosure of personal information of eligible veterans seeking such care or services from the Department. (d) Eligible veteran defined In this section, the term eligible veteran means a veteran who is eligible for hospital care, medical services, or other health care under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 4. Executive compensation and bonuses accountability at Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Inspector General of Department of Veterans Affairs notice If the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs determines that the director of a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs or other official of the Department responsible for activities at such facility has purposefully misrepresented patient records or other data to conceal a failure of the facility to comply with patient access or care standards of the Department or for the purpose of qualifying for a performance award under section 5384 of title 5, United States Code, or any other compensation that is in addition to basic pay— (1) not later than 30 days after the date on which the Inspector General makes such determination, the Inspector General shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives notice of such determination; and (2) not later than 15 days after the date on which the Inspector General submits notice under paragraph (1), the Inspector General shall submit to the Secretary a list of the names of each director or other official responsible for such misrepresentation. (b) Limitation on performance awards Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may not pay a bonus or award, including a performance award under section 5384 of title 5, United States Code, to any director or other official of the Department included in a list submitted under subsection (a)(2) until the Secretary determines that all issues relating to the reasons why such director or other individual was included in such list have been resolved. (c) Performance reviews The Secretary shall ensure that any performance review or consideration for promotion of a director or other official of the Department responsible for activities at a medical facility of the Department with respect to which a notice was submitted under subsection (a)(1) for a misrepresentation includes an evaluation of whether the director or other official knew or should have known about such misrepresentation. (d) Prohibition on publication of names The Inspector General may not make public the names of directors or other officials included in the list under subsection (a)(2). (e) Role of Inspector General Any responsibility or authority of the Inspector General provided under this section is in addition to any responsibility or authority provided to the Inspector General in the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).