,i #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cahc ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #bc1 #bjae ,mr4 ,jolly introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,veterans ,access1 ,choice1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjad to expand and make permanent the ,veterans ,choice ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans ,health ,care ,freedom ,act4 #b4 ,modification to ,veterans ,choice ,program 7a7 ,expansion 7#a7 ,in general ,subsection 7b7 of section #aja of the ,veterans ,access1 ,choice1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjad 7#ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7 is amended to read as follows3 7b7 ,eligible veterans ,a veteran is an eligible veteran for purposes of this section if the veteran is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs established and operated under section #agje of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 including any such veteran who has not received hospital care or medical services from the ,department and has contacted the ,department seeking an initial appointment from the ,department for the receipt of such care or services4 4 7#b7 ,choice of provider ,such section is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7i7 by striking paragraph 7#b72 and 7ii7 by redesignating paragraph 7#c7 as paragraph 7#b72 and 7,b7 by striking subsection 7c7 and inserting the following new subsection 7c73 7c7 ,choice of provider ,an eligible veteran who receives hospital care or medical services under this section may select a provider of such care or services from among the entities specified in paragraph 7#a77;,b7 that are accessible to the veteran4 4 7#c7 ,conforming amendments ,such section is further amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7f77#a71 by striking subsection 7b77#a7 and inserting subsection 7b72 7,b7 in subsection 7g7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking subsection 7b77#a77;,b7 and inserting subsection 7b72 and 7ii7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking under subparagraph 7,b71 7,c71 or 7,d7 of subsection 7b77#b72 and 7,c7 in subsection 7q77#b77;,a7-- 7i7 by striking 1 disaggregated by-- and inserting a period2 and 7ii7 by striking clauses 7i7 through 7iv74 7b7 ,permanent program 7#a7 ,removal of sunset ,subsection 7p7 of such section is amended to read as follows3 7p7 ,authority ,to ,furnish ,care and ,services ,the ,secretary may furnish care and services under this section subject to the availability of funds in the ,veterans ,choice ,fund established by section #hjb or otherwise appropriated to carry out this section4 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendments ,section #aja of such ,act is further amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7i77#b71 by striking is authorized to carry out this section pursuant to subsection 7p7 and inserting carries out this section2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7q77#b71 as amended by subsection 7a77#b77;,d7 of this section1 by striking subparagraph 7,f74 7c7 ,annual reports ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall submit to ,congress a report that includes the following3 7#a7 ,with respect to each medical facility of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 any increase or decrease in the number of veterans seeking hospital care or medical services at such facility during the one-year period covered by the report4 7#b7 ,in light of the increase or decrease of veterans seeking hospital care or medical services at each medical facility of the ,department as identified under paragraph 7#a71 recommendations by the ,secretary with respect to the proposed budget for such facility for the fiscal year following the date of the report4 7#c7 ,how the ,secretary is ensuring compliance with all requirements of chapter #ci of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly referred to as the ,prompt ,payment ,act71 including1 for the one-year period covered by the report-- 7,a7 the average amount of time taken by the ,secretary to pay a non-,department health care provider after receiving an invoice2 and 7,b7 a description of each instance in which the ,secretary paid interest to such a non-,department health care provider pursuant to such chapter #ci4