,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bhga  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #bh1 #bjaf ,mr4 
,?une introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
e/abli% ! position ( ,*oice ,program    
,ombudsman )9 ! ,(fice ( ,inspector     
,g5]al ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 to manage compla9ts reg>d+ ! provision 
( hospital c>e & m$ical s]vices "u      
section #aja ( ! ,vet]ans ,access1      
,*oice1 & ,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad4  
#a4 ,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z
 ! ,vet]ans ,*oice ,program ,resolution 
,act4  #b4 ,e/abli%m5t ( position (     
,*oice ,program ,ombudsman  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,! ,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 &         
,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7,public    
,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7
 is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] section #aja ! 
foll[+ new section3  #aja;,a4 ,*oice    
,program ,ombudsman  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!    
,inspector ,g5]al ( ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs %all select1 f among  

employees ( ! ,(fice ( ,inspector ,g5]al
 ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 a   
,*oice ,program ,ombudsman to manage    
compla9ts reg>d+ ! provision ( hospital 
c>e & m$ical s]vices "u section #aja4   
7b7 ,duties ,! ,*oice ,program          
,ombudsman %all d ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,s]ve z
 a c5tral collection po9t to receive    
compla9ts f vet]ans1 individuals act+ on
 behalf ( vet]ans 7includ+ family memb]s
 & c>egiv]s71 employees ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( 
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & non-,dep>tm5t heal?
 c>e provid]s ) respect to ! foll[+3    
7,a7 ,problems ) s*$ul+ vet]ans to obta9
 hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices "u      
section #aja4  7,b7 ,problems ) au?oriz+
 su* c>e or s]vices "u su* section4     
7,c7 ,) respect to non-,dep>tm5t heal?  
c>e provid]s1 problems ) enroll+ ) !    
,dep>tm5t to provide su* c>e or s]vices 
"u su* section4  7,d7 ,problems )       
copaym5ts & reimbursem5ts "u su*        
section4  7,e7 ,problems ) coord9at+ su*
 c>e or s]vices betwe5 ! ,dep>tm5t &    
non-,dep>tm5t heal? c>e provid]s4  7#b7 

,e/abli% a me?odology to resolve        
compla9ts describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a74     
7#c7 ,submit to ! ,committee on         
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !       
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a qu>t]ly report
 on activities conduct$ "u ?is section1 
includ+ ! foll[+ in=mation3  7,a7 ,!    
total numb] ( compla9ts receiv$ "u ?is  
section4  7,b7 ,! total numb] ( su*     
compla9ts t h be5 resolv$ & ! total     
numb] ( su* compla9ts t are p5d+4  7,c7 
,) respect to e o!r report submitt$ "u  
?is p>agraph1 ! f9d+s or recomm5dations 
( ! ,*oice ,program ,ombudsman = resolv+
 sy/emic problems ) ! provision (       
hospital c>e & m$ical s]vices "u section
 #aja1 includ+ recomm5dations to improve
 ! implem5tation ( su* section 9 rural &
 highly rural areas & = vet]ans :o are  
memb]s ( ,indian tribes4  7c7 ,compla9t 
submission process ,! ,secret>y (       
,vet]ans ,affairs %all publi% on a      
publicly available ,int]net website ( ! 
,dep>tm5t1 & a publicly available       

,int]net website ( ! ,(fice ( ,inspector
 ,g5]al ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 in=mation reg>d+ 
! process = submitt+ a compla9t to !    
,*oice ,program ,ombudsman "u ?is       
section4  7d7 ,sunset ,?is section %all 
t]m9ate on ! e>li] (-- 7#a7 ! t]m9ation 
date specifi$ 9 section #aja7p72 or     
7#b7 ! date t is #aj ye>s aft] ! date ( 
! enactm5t ( ! ,vet]ans ,*oice ,program 
,resolution ,act4  7e7 ,indian tribe    
def9$ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m ,indian     
tribe has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section  
#d ( ! ,indian ,self-,det]m9ation &     
,education ,assi/ance ,act 7#be         
,u4,s4,c4 #dej;b74  4  7b7 ,cl]ical     
am5dm5t ,! table ( cont5ts at ! beg9n+ (
 ! ,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 &          
,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad is am5d$ by 
ins]t+ aft] ! item relat+ to section    
#aja ! foll[+ new item3  ,sec4 #aja;,a4 
,*oice ,program ,ombudsman4  4