,i  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ahfb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,april #af1 #bjae ,mr4
 ,b\/any 7= himself & ,mr4 ,abraham7    
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to conduct outrea* to 
vet]ans reg>d+ ! effect ( delay$ paym5ts
 ( claims = em]g5cy m$ical c>e furni%$  
by non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs    
m$ical provid]s by ! ,*ief ,bus9ess     
,(fice & to direct ! ,secret>y to submit
 to ,congress an annual report reg>d+   
su* delay$ paym5ts4  #a4 ,%ort title    
,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans'     
,cr$it ,protection ,act4  #b4 ,outrea*  
to vet]ans reg>d+ effect ( c]ta9 delay$ 
paym5ts by ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 ,*ief ,bus9ess ,(fice  7a7 ,outrea* ,! 
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
conduct outrea*1 includ+ ?r\gh national 
& local vet]ans s]vice organizations1 to
 in=m vet]ans ( h[ to resolve cr$it     
issues caus$ by delay$ paym5t ( a claim 

= em]g5cy hospital c>e1 m$ical s]vices1 
or o!r em]g5cy heal? c>e furni%$ ?r\gh a
 non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs      
provid]4 ,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% a    
toll-free telephone numb] = vet]ans to  
report su* cr$it issues to ! ,*ief      
,bus9ess ,(fice ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs4  7b7 ,annual report  7#a7 ,9 
g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
%all annually submit to ,congress a     
report on ! effectiv5ess ( ! ,*ief      
,bus9ess ,(fice 9 provid+ timely paym5t 
( prop] invoices = em]g5cy hospital c>e1
 m$ical s]vices1 or o!r em]g5cy heal?   
c>e furni%$ ?r\gh non-,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs provid]s by ! requir$ 
paym5t date dur+ bo? ! five-ye> p]iod   
prec$+ ! date ( ! report & ! "o-ye>     
p]iod prec$+ su* date4 ,= any "p ( !    
p]iod cov]$ by a report "u ?is          
subsection t occurr$ be=e ,octob] #a1   
#bjad1 ! report %all evaluate !         
provision ( su* paym5ts by ! ,vet]ans   
,integrat$ ,s]vice ,networks4  7#b7     
,matt]s includ$ ,! reports "u p>agraph  

7#a7 %all include1 = ea* p]iod cov]$ by 
! report1 ! foll[+3  7,a7 ,! numb] (    
vet]ans :o contact$ ! ,secret>y reg>d+ a
 delay$ paym5t t negatively affect$1 or 
w pot5tially negatively affect1 ! cr$it 
( ! vet]an4  7,b7 ,! total am\nt (      
int]e/ p5alties paid by ! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs "u section #cijb (    
title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 by      
reason ( a delay$ paym5t4  7,c7 ,! numb]
 ( prop] invoices submitt$1 li/$ 9 a    
table = ea* qu>t] & fiscal ye> ( ea* su*
 p]iod t includes--  7i7 ! total am\nt  
ow$ by ! ,secret>y "u ! prop] invoices2 
7ii7 ! paym5t /atus ( ea* prop] invoice1
 z ( ! date ( ! report2 &  7iii7 ! p]iod
 t elaps$ until ea* prop] invoice 0     
paid1 includ+ an explanation ( any      
delay$ paym5t4  7,d7 ,any comm5ts reg>d+
 delay$ paym5ts made by m$ical provid]s4
  7,e7 ,a description ( ! be/ practices 
t ! ,*ief ,bus9ess ,(fice c c>ry out to 
provide timely paym5t ( a prop] invoice1
 includ+ a plan to improve su* timely   
paym5ts4  7c7 ,qu>t]ly reports on p5d+  

claims ,! ,*ief ,bus9ess ,(fice ( !     
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
submit to ,congress qu>t]ly reports on !
 numb] ( p5d+ claims = reimbursem5t =   
em]g5cy hospital c>e1 m$ical s]vices1 & 
o!r em]g5cy heal? c>e furni%$ ?r\gh     
non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs       
provid]s4 ,ea* su* report %all include  
ea* ( ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,! total numb] (  
su* p5d+ claims = ea* hospital sy/em ( !
 ,dep>tm5t1 z ( ! la/ day ( ! qu>t]     
cov]$ by ! report4  7#b7 ,! total numb] 
( vet]ans :o submitt$ su* a p5d+ claim 9
 ea* ,/ate1 z ( su* day4  7#c7 ,!       
aggregate am\nt ( all su* p5d+ claims 9 
ea* ,/ate1 z ( su* day4  7#d7 ,z ( su*  
day-- 7,a7 ! numb] ( su* p5d+ claims t h
 be5 p5d+ = #cj days or long]2  7,b7 !  
numb] ( su* p5d+ claims t h be5 p5d+ =  
#ij days or long]2 &  7,c7 ! numb] ( su*
 p5d+ claims t h be5 p5d+ = #cfe days or
 long]4  7#e7 ,= ea* hospital sy/em1 = !
 qu>t] cov]$ by ! report-- 7,a7 ! numb] 
( claims = reimbursem5t = em]g5cy       
hospital c>e1 m$ical s]vices1 & o!r     

em]g5cy heal? c>e furni%$ ?r\gh         
non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs       
provid]s approv$ dur+ su* qu>t]2  7,b7 !
 numb] ( su* claims d5i$ dur+ su* qu>t]2
 &  7,c7 ! numb] ( su* claims d5i$ li/$ 
by ea* d5ial reason gr\p4  7d7          
,comptroll] ,g5]al /udy  7#a7 ,9 g5]al  
,! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
%all conduct a /udy t evaluates !       
effectiv5ess ( ! ,*ief ,bus9ess ,(fice 9
 provid+ timely paym5t ( a prop] invoice
 = em]g5cy hospital c>e1 m$ical s]vices1
 or o!r em]g5cy heal? c>e furni%$ ?r\gh 
non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs       
provid]s by ! requir$ paym5t date4  7#b7
 ,submittal ,! ,comptroll] ,g5]al %all  
submit to ,congress a report on ! /udy  
conduct$ "u p>agraph 7#a71 includ+ !    
total am\nt ( int]e/ p5alties paid by ! 
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs "u section
 #cijb ( title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1
 by reason ( a delay$ paym5t4  7e7      
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m 
delay$ paym5t means a prop] invoice t is
 n paid by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans       

,affairs until aft] ! requir$ paym5t    
date4  7#b7 ,! t]m prop] invoice has !  
mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section #cija7;a7 (  
title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#c7 ,!
 t]m requir$ paym5t date means ! date t 
paym5t is due = a contract pursuant to  
section #cijc7;a7 ( title #ca1 ,unit$   
,/ates ,code4