#aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4 ,r4
 #cdga  ,,an ,,act  ,to am5d title #ch1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to make c]ta9      
improvem5ts 9 ! provision ( automobiles 
& adaptive equipm5t by ! ,dep>tm5t (    
,vet]ans ,affairs4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is
 ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,mobility
 ,safety ,act ( #bjaf4  #b4 ,p]sonal    
selections ( automobiles & adaptive     
equipm5t ,section #cijc7;b7 ( title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$--  7#a7  
by /rik+ ,except & ins]t+ 7#a7 ,except2 
&  7#b7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new   
p>agraph3  7#b7 ,! ,secret>y %all ensure
 t to ! ext5t practicable an eligible   
p]son :o is provid$ an automobile or o!r
 conveyance "u ?is *apt] is giv5 !      
opportunity to make p]sonal selections  
relat+ to su* automobile or o!r         
conveyance4  4  #c4 ,compreh5sive policy
 = ! automobiles adaptive equipm5t      
program  7a7 ,compreh5sive policy ,!    
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
develop a compreh5sive policy reg>d+    
quality /&>ds = provid]s :o provide     

modification s]vices to vet]ans "u !    
automobile adaptive equipm5t program4   
7b7 ,scope ,! policy develop$ "u        
subsection 7a7 %all cov] ea* ( ! foll[+3
 7#a7 ,! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans           
,affairs-wide managem5t ( ! automobile  
adaptive equipm5t program4  7#b7 ,!     
developm5t ( /&>ds = safety & quality ( 
equipm5t & in/allation ( equipm5t ?r\gh 
! automobile adaptive equipm5t program1 
includ+ ) respect to ! def9$            
diff]5tiations 9 levels ( modification  
complexity4  7#c7 ,! consi/5t           
application ( /&>ds = safety & quality (
 bo? equipm5t & in/allation ?r\gh\t !   
,dep>tm5t4  7#d7 ,! c]tification ( a    
provid] by a ?ird p>ty organization or  
manufactur] if ! ,secret>y designates ! 
quality /&>ds ( su* organization or     
manufactur] z meet+ or exce$+ ! /&>ds   
develop$ "u ?is section4  7#e7 ,!       
education & tra9+ ( p]sonnel ( !        
,dep>tm5t :o adm9i/] ! automobile       
adaptive equipm5t program4  7#f7 ,!     
compliance ( ! provid] ) ! ,am]icans )  

,disabilities ,act ( #aiij 7#db         
,u4,s4,c4 #abaja et seq47 :5 furni%+    
automobile adaptive equipm5t at !       
facility ( ! provid]4  7#g7 ,! all[ance1
 :]e te*nically appropriate1 = vet]ans  
to receive modifications at _! resid5ce 
or location ( *oice4  7c7 ,updates ,n   
lat] ?an #a ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t
 ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all update    
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration ,h&book   
#aagc4d1 or any successor h&book or     
directive1 9 accordance ) ! policy      
develop$ "u subsection 7a74 ,n less     
frequ5tly ?an once e #f ye>s !reaft]1 ! 
,secret>y %all update su* h&book1 or any
 successor h&book or directive4  7d7    
,consultation ,! ,secret>y %all develop 
! policy "u subsection 7a71 & revise su*
 policy "u subsection 7c71 9            
consultation ) vet]ans s]vice           
organizations1 ! ,national ,highway     
,transportation ,adm9i/ration1 indu/ry  
repres5tatives1 manufactur]s (          
automobile adaptive equipm5t1 & o!r     
entities ) exp]tise 9 in/all+1 repair+1 

replac+1 or manufactur+ mobility        
equipm5t or develop+ mobility           
accr$itation /&>ds = automobile adaptive
 equipm5t4  7e7 ,conflicts ,9 develop+ &
 implem5t+ ! policy "u subsection 7a71 !
 ,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 m9imize !        
possibility ( conflicts ( int]e/1 to !  
ext5t practicable2 &  7#b7 e/abli%      
proc$ures t ensure aga9/ ! use ( a      
c]tify+ entity ref]r$ to 9 subsection   
7b77#d7 t has a f9ancial conflict (     
int]e/ reg>d+ ! c]tification ( an       
eligible provid]4  7f7 ,bi5nial report  
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] ! 
date on :i* ! ,secret>y updates ,vet]ans
 ,heal? ,adm9i/ration ,h&book #aagc4d1  
or any successor h&book or directive1 "u
 subsection 7c71 & bi5nially !reaft]    
?r\gh #bjbb1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to 
! ,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! 
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,s5ate a    
report on ! implem5tation & facility    
compliance ) ! policy develop$ "u       
subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,cont5ts ,! report
 requir$ by p>agraph 7#a7 %all include !

 foll[+3 7,a7 ,a description ( !        
implem5tation plan = ! policy develop$  
"u subsection 7a7 & any revisions to su*
 policy "u subsection 7c74  7,b7 ,a     
description ( ! p]=mance measures us$ to
 det]m9e ! effectiv5ess ( su* policy 9  
ensur+ ! safety ( vet]ans enroll$ 9 !   
automobile adaptive equipm5t program4   
7,c7 ,an assessm5t ( safety issues due  
to improp] in/allations bas$ on a survey
 ( recipi5ts ( adaptive equipm5t f !    
,dep>tm5t4  7,d7 ,an assessm5t ( !      
adequacy ( ! adaptive equipm5t s]vices (
 ! ,dep>tm5t bas$ on a survey (         
recipi5ts ( adaptive equipm5t f !       
,dep>tm5t4  7,e7 ,an assessm5t ( ! tra9+
 provid$ to ! p]sonnel ( ! ,dep>tm5t )  
respect to adm9i/]+ ! program4  7,f7 ,an
 assessm5t ( ! c]tifi$ provid]s ( !     
,dep>tm5t ( adaptive equipm5t ) respect 
to meet+ ! m9imum /&>ds develop$ "u     
subsection 7b77#b74  7g7 ,def9itions ,9 
?is section3  7#a7 ,! t]m automobile    
adaptive equipm5t program means !       
program adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y (       

,vet]ans ,affairs pursuant to *apt] #ci 
( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#b7 
,! t]m vet]ans s]vice organization means
 any organization recogniz$ by !        
,secret>y = ! repres5tation ( vet]ans "u
 section #eijb ( title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code4  #d4 ,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+ 1 he>+ aid speciali/ aft] d5tal  
te*nologi/4  7b7 ,requirem5ts ,) respect
 to appo9t+ he>+ aid speciali/s "u      
sections #gdja & #gdjb ( title #ch1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ by         
subsection 7a71 & provid+ s]vices       
furni%$ by su* speciali/s1 ! ,secret>y  
%all ensure t-- 7#a7 a he>+ aid         
speciali/ may only p]=m he>+ s]vices    
consi/5t ) ! he>+ aid speciali/'s ,/ate 

lic5se relat$ to ! practice ( fitt+ &   
disp5s+ he>+ aids )\t exclud+ o!r       
qualifi$ pr(essionals1 includ+          
audiologi/s1 f r5d]+ s]vices 9 ov]lapp+ 
practice areas2  7#b7 s]vices provid$ to
 vet]ans by he>+ aid speciali/s %all be 
provid$ z "p ( ! non-m$ical treatm5t    
plan develop$ by an audiologi/2 &  7#c7 
! m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs provide to vet]ans    
access to ! full range ( pr(essional    
s]vices provid$ by an audiologi/4  7c7  
,consultation ,9 det]m9+ !              
qualifications requir$ = he>+ aid       
speciali/s & 9 c>ry+ out subsection 7b71
 ! ,secret>y %all consult ) vet]ans     
s]vice organizations1 audiologi/s1      
otol>yngologi/s1 he>+ aid speciali/s1 & 
o!r /akehold] & indu/ry gr\ps z !       
,secret>y det]m9es appropriate4  7d7    
,annual report  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]   
?an #a ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (   
?is ,act1 & annually !reaft] dur+ !     
#e-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( !       
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,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 = ! #a-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 m ?an #cj days4  7#c7
 ,contract+ policies ,ea* report %all1 )
 respect to ! matt] specifi$ 9 p>agraph 
7#a77;,b7 = ! #a-ye> p]iod prec$+ !     
submittal ( su* report1 include !       
foll[+3  7,a7 ,! numb] ( vet]ans t !    
,secret>y ref]s to non-,dep>tm5t        
audiologi/s = he>+ heal? c>e appo9tm5ts4
  7,b7 ,! numb] ( vet]ans t ! ,secret>y 
ref]s to non-,dep>tm5t he>+ aid         
speciali/s = foll[-up appo9tm5ts = a    
he>+ aid evaluation1 ! disp5s+ ( he>+   
aids1 or any o!r purpose relat+ to he>+ 
heal?4  ,pass$ ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives
 ,septemb] #ab1 #bjaf4;,cl]k4