,i #aad? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cihj ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,novemb] #e1 #bjae ,mr4 ,norcross 7= himself & ,mr4 ,mac,arthur7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to elim9ate ! sunset date = ! ,vet]ans ,*oice ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 to exp& eligibility = su* program1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,fre$om ( ,heal?c>e ,act4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,all vet]ans :o h sign$ up to put _! life on ! l9e = ! lives & lib]ty ( ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates des]ve ! opportunity to seek heal? c>e at a facility ( _! *oice1 reg>dless ( arbitr>y di/ance & wait-"t ?re%olds4 7#b7 ,logi/ical imp$im5ts to vet]ans receiv+ heal? c>e at m$ical facilities ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 includ+ ) respect to travel1 wait times1 & enrollm5t difficulty1 h be5 f\nd to exi/ across all demographics ( vet]ans & are widely cit$ among ! mo/ common b>ri]s to receiv+ ! heal? c>e ! vet]ans e>n$4 7#c7 ,z a result ( widespread report+ on su* imp$im5ts1 includ+ reg>d+ ! dea? ( #dj vet]ans :o di$ :ile wait+ = heal? c>e at ! ,pho5ix ,vet]ans' ,hospital1 9 #bjad ,congress inve/igat$ ! matt] & confirm$ t su* imp$im5ts 7 p]vasive & sy/emic4 7#d7 ,z ( ,septemb] #cj1 #bjad1 !re 7 approximately #hfg1jjj applications by vet]ans to enroll 9 ! heal? c>e sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 & ! ,inspector ,g5]al ( ! ,dep>tm5t c\ld n det]m9e h[ long m ?an half ( ! applications _h be5 p5d+4 7#e7 ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs has be5 unable to meet ! mode/ goal ( employ+ "o psy*iatri/ p] #a1jjj individual m5tal heal? pati5ts ( ! ,dep>tm5t4 7#f7 ,! ,inspector ,g5]al f\nd t approximately #gj p]c5t ( ! hospitals ( ! ,dep>tm5t 9 #bjad did n h en\gh psy*iatri/s to meet dem&4 7#g7 ,! ,inspector ,g5]al f\nd t a significant proportion ( ! psy*iatri/s ( ! ,dep>tm5t saw 9 excess ( #hjj to #ijj vet]ans p] ye> & "s vet]ans 7 only se5 once p] ye> because ( ! dem&4 7#h7 ,a /udy by ! ,national ,in/itutes ( ,heal? id5tifi$ ! lack ( available female-specific m$ical s]vices & wait times z key b>ri]s to female vet]ans seek+ heal? c>e at m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t4 7#i7 ,! ,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 & ,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf7 made great /rides t[>d provid+ vet]ans ) m flexibility to seek heal? c>e 9 ! sett+ ( *oice by ! vet]an1 h[ev]1 ! metrics e/abli%$ by ! ,act to det]m9e :i* vet]ans 7 eligible = su* flexibility are insuffici5t4 7#aj7 ,o!r imp$im5ts to vet]ans receiv+ heal? c>e at m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t c include long commutes on gr\p transport1 or hav+ to cross bridges or ,/ate l9es to receive c>e4 7#aa7 ,_m vet]ans l ! heal? c>e provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t & ! hospitals ( ! ,dep>tm5t hold p>ticul> exp]tise 9 treat+ ailm5ts ( vet]ans4 7#ab7 ,vet]ans %\ld h ! option to /ay ) ! ,dep>tm5t if ! vet]an likes ! heal? c>e sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t4 #c4 ,expansion ( ,*oice ,program ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 7a7 ,elim9ation ( sunset 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #aja ( ! ,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 & ,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7 is am5d$-- 7,a7 by /rik+ subsection 7p72 & 7,b7 by r$esignat+ subsections 7q71 7r71 7s71 & 7t7 z subsections 7p71 7q71 7r71 & 7s71 respectively4 7#b7 ,con=m+ am5dm5ts ,su* section is am5d$-- 7,a7 9 subsection 7i77#b71 by /rik+ dur+ ! p]iod 9 :i* ! ,secret>y is au?oriz$ to c>ry out ?is section pursuant to subsection 7p72 & 7,b7 9 subsection 7p77#b71 z r$esignat$ by p>agraph 7#a77;,b71 by /rik+ subp>agraph 7,f74 7b7 ,expansion ( eligibility 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,subsection 7b7 ( su* section is am5d$ to read z foll[s3 7b7 ,eligible vet]ans ,a vet]an is an eligible vet]an = purposes ( ?is section if ! vet]an is enroll$ 9 ! pati5t enrollm5t sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs e/abli%$ & op]at$ "u section #agje ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 includ+ any su* vet]an :o has n receiv$ hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices f ! ,dep>tm5t & has contact$ ! ,dep>tm5t seek+ an initial appo9tm5t f ! ,dep>tm5t = ! receipt ( su* c>e or s]vices4 4 7#b7 ,con=m+ am5dm5ts ,su* section is am5d$-- 7,a7 9 subsection 7c77#a7-- 7i7 9 ! matt] prec$+ subp>agraph 7,a71 by /rik+ ,9 ! case ( an eligible vet]an describ$ 9 subsection 7b77#b77;,a71 ! ,secret>y %all1 at ! election ( ! eligible vet]an & ins]t+ ,! ,secret>y %all1 at ! election ( an eligible vet]an2 & 7ii7 9 subp>agraph 7,a71 by /rik+ describ$ 9 su* subsection & ins]t+ ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration2 7,b7 9 subsection 7f77#a71 by /rik+ subsection 7b77#a7 & ins]t+ subsection 7b72 7,c7 9 subsection 7g71 by /rik+ p>agraph 7#c72 & 7,d7 9 subsection 7p77#b77;,a71 z r$esignat$ by subsection 7a77#a77;,b71 by /rik+ 1 disaggregat$ by-- & all t foll[s ?r\gh subsection 7b77#b77;,d74 7c7 ,provision ( c>e by ! ,dep>tm5t ,9 c>ry+ out *apt] #ag ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all ensure t vet]ans enroll$ 9 ! heal? c>e sy/em e/abli%$ "u section #agje7;a7 ( su* title1 p>ticul>ly su* vet]ans ) s]vice-connect$ disabilities rat$ #ej p]c5t or great] describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 ( su* section1 are able to receive-- 7#a7 heal? c>e at m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t )9 ! wait-"t goals describ$ 9 section #aja7;c77#a7 ( ! ,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 & ,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note72 & 7#b7 ! highe/ degree ( quality c>e possible1 ) an emphasis on ma9ta9+ ! highe/ degree ( quality 9 treat+ ailm5ts t are unique to or preval5t among ! vet]an population1 includ+ ) respect to m5tal heal? s]vices4 7d7 ,report ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all submit to ,congress a report on ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,! efficacy ( ! ,vet]ans ,*oice ,program e/abli%$ by section #aja ( ! ,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 & ,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7 ) respect to vet]ans be+ able to access ! heal? c>e requir$ by ! vet]an1 includ+ any recomm5dations ( ! ,secret>y to improve su* access4 7#b7 ,! efficacy ( ! ,secret>y ) respect to ensur+ t vet]ans enroll$ 9 ! heal? c>e sy/em e/abli%$ "u section #agje7;a7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 :o ne$ to or elect to receive heal? c>e at m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t are able to receive su* c>e4 7e7 ,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by ?is section %all apply ) respect to hospital c>e & m$ical s]vices furni%$ "u su* section on & aft] ! date t is #ij days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4