,i #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cihj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #e1 #bjae ,mr4 ,norcross 7for himself and ,mr4 ,mac,arthur7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to eliminate the sunset date for the ,veterans ,choice ,program of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 to expand eligibility for such program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans ,freedom of ,healthcare ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,all veterans who have signed up to put their life on the line for the lives and liberty of the people of the ,united ,states deserve the opportunity to seek health care at a facility of their choice1 regardless of arbitrary distance and wait-time thresholds4 7#b7 ,logistical impediments to veterans receiving health care at medical facilities of the ,veterans ,health ,administration of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 including with respect to travel1 wait times1 and enrollment difficulty1 have been found to exist across all demographics of veterans and are widely cited among the most common barriers to receiving the health care the veterans earned4 7#c7 ,as a result of widespread reporting on such impediments1 including regarding the death of #dj veterans who died while waiting for health care at the ,phoenix ,veterans' ,hospital1 in #bjad ,congress investigated the matter and confirmed that such impediments were pervasive and systemic4 7#d7 ,as of ,september #cj1 #bjad1 there were approximately #hfg1jjj applications by veterans to enroll in the health care system of the ,department1 and the ,inspector ,general of the ,department could not determine how long more than half of the applications had been pending4 7#e7 ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs has been unable to meet the modest goal of employing one psychiatrist per #a1jjj individual mental health patients of the ,department4 7#f7 ,the ,inspector ,general found that approximately #gj percent of the hospitals of the ,department in #bjad did not have enough psychiatrists to meet demand4 7#g7 ,the ,inspector ,general found that a significant proportion of the psychiatrists of the ,department saw in excess of #hjj to #ijj veterans per year and some veterans were only seen once per year because of the demand4 7#h7 ,a study by the ,national ,institutes of ,health identified the lack of available female-specific medical services and wait times as key barriers to female veterans seeking health care at medical facilities of the ,department4 7#i7 ,the ,veterans ,access1 ,choice1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf7 made great strides toward providing veterans with more flexibility to seek health care in the setting of choice by the veteran1 however1 the metrics established by the ,act to determine which veterans were eligible for such flexibility are insufficient4 7#aj7 ,other impediments to veterans receiving health care at medical facilities of the ,department can include long commutes on group transport1 or having to cross bridges or ,state lines to receive care4 7#aa7 ,many veterans like the health care provided by the ,department and the hospitals of the ,department hold particular expertise in treating ailments of veterans4 7#ab7 ,veterans should have the option to stay with the ,department if the veteran likes the health care system of the ,department4 #c4 ,expansion of ,choice ,program of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs 7a7 ,elimination of sunset 7#a7 ,in general ,section #aja of the ,veterans ,access1 ,choice1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking subsection 7p72 and 7,b7 by redesignating subsections 7q71 7r71 7s71 and 7t7 as subsections 7p71 7q71 7r71 and 7s71 respectively4 7#b7 ,conforming amendments ,such section is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7i77#b71 by striking during the period in which the ,secretary is authorized to carry out this section pursuant to subsection 7p72 and 7,b7 in subsection 7p77#b71 as redesignated by paragraph 7#a77;,b71 by striking subparagraph 7,f74 7b7 ,expansion of eligibility 7#a7 ,in general ,subsection 7b7 of such section 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 ,conforming amendments ,such section is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7c77#a7-- 7i7 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking ,in the case of an eligible veteran described in subsection 7b77#b77;,a71 the ,secretary shall1 at the election of the eligible veteran and inserting ,the ,secretary shall1 at the election of an eligible veteran2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking described in such subsection and inserting of the ,veterans ,health ,administration2 7,b7 in subsection 7f77#a71 by striking subsection 7b77#a7 and inserting subsection 7b72 7,c7 in subsection 7g71 by striking paragraph 7#c72 and 7,d7 in subsection 7p77#b77;,a71 as redesignated by subsection 7a77#a77;,b71 by striking 1 disaggregated by-- and all that follows through subsection 7b77#b77;,d74 7c7 ,provision of care by the ,department ,in carrying out chapter #ag of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall ensure that veterans enrolled in the health care system established under section #agje7;a7 of such title1 particularly such veterans with service-connected disabilities rated #ej percent or greater described in paragraph 7#a7 of such section1 are able to receive-- 7#a7 health care at medical facilities of the ,department within the wait-time goals described in section #aja7;c77#a7 of the ,veterans ,access1 ,choice1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note72 and 7#b7 the highest degree of quality care possible1 with an emphasis on maintaining the highest degree of quality in treating ailments that are unique to or prevalent among the veteran population1 including with respect to mental health services4 7d7 ,report ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall submit to ,congress a report on the following3 7#a7 ,the efficacy of the ,veterans ,choice ,program established by section #aja of the ,veterans ,access1 ,choice1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7 with respect to veterans being able to access the health care required by the veteran1 including any recommendations of the ,secretary to improve such access4 7#b7 ,the efficacy of the ,secretary with respect to ensuring that veterans enrolled in the health care system established under section #agje7;a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 who need to or elect to receive health care at medical facilities of the ,department are able to receive such care4 7e7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to hospital care and medical services furnished under such section on and after the date that is #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4