,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #cjdc  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #i1 #bjaf,ms4    
,klobu*> 7= h]self & ,mrs4 ,ern/7       
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
direct ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
to c>ry out a pilot program e/abli%+ a  
pati5t self-s*$ul+ appo9tm5t sy/em1 & = 
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,fa/] ,c>e = ,vet]ans  
,act ( #bjaf4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds
 ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,9 ,june #bjad1 an     
int]nal audit conduct$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( 
,vet]ans ,affairs f\nd m ?an #abj1jjj   
vet]ans wait$ at lea/ #ij days =        
appo9tm5ts = heal? c>e or nev] receiv$  
appo9tm5ts4  7#b7 ,"o ye> foll[+ su*    
audit1 & despite ! ,dep>tm5t h&l+ m     
appo9tm5ts ?an 9 previ\s ye>s1 reports  
indicate t ! numb] ( vet]ans wait+ #cj  
days or m = heal? c>e increas$ by #ej   
p]c5t4  7#c7 ,9 #bjjh1 ! ,inspector     
,g5]al ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs

 e/imat$ t #ah p]c5t ( outpati5t        
appo9tm5t slots w5t unfill$ because (   
pati5t no-%[s or because facility       
p]sonnel did n refill cancel$           
appo9tm5ts4  7#d7 ,wait times are n     
unique to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs4 ,! av]age wait "t 9 ! private 
sector is m ?an #ah days1 b private     
sector hospitals & heal? sy/ems are n[  
lev]ag+ te*nology to elim9ate wait times
 & ensure t e available appo9tm5t is    
us$4  7#e7 ,9 ,june #bjae1 ! ,in/itute (
 ,m$ic9e ( ! ,national ,academy (       
,sci5ces call$ = a pati5t-ori5t$ s*$ul+ 
plat=m t all[s pati5ts to self-s*$ule   
c>e onl9e at any "t4  #c4 ,pilot program
 e/abli%+ a pati5t self-s*$ul+ appo9tm5t
 sy/em  7a7 ,pilot program ,n lat] ?an  
#abj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is
 ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
%all comm5ce a pilot program "u :i*     
vet]ans use an ,int]net website to      
s*$ule & confirm appo9tm5ts = heal? c>e 
at m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t (    
,vet]ans ,affairs4  7b7 ,selection (    

locations ,! ,secret>y %all select n    
few] ?an ?ree ,vet]ans ,integrat$       
,s]vices ,networks 9 :i* to c>ry out !  
pilot program "u subsection 7a74  7c7   
,contracts  7#a7 ,au?ority ,! ,secret>y 
%all seek to ent] into a contract ) "o  
or m contractors t are able to meet !   
crit]ia "u p>agraph 7#c7 to provide !   
s*$ul+ & confirmation capability        
describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,notice
 ( competition  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]   
?an #fj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( 
?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all issue a      
reque/ = proposals = ! contract describ$
 9 p>agraph 7#a74  7,b7 ,op5 reque/ ,!  
reque/ = proposals issu$ "u subp>agraph 
7,a7 %all be full & op5 to any          
contractor t is able to meet ! crit]ia  
"u p>agraph 7#c74  7#c7 ,selection (    
v5dors ,n lat] ?an #abj days aft] ! date
 ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y   
%all ent] into a contract ) "o or m     
contractors t h an exi/+ comm]cially    
available onl9e pati5t self-s*$ul+      
capability t--  7,a7 all[s pati5ts to   

self-s*$ule1 confirm1 & modify outpati5t
 & specialty c>e appo9tm5ts 9 real "t   
?r\gh an ,int]net website2  7,b7 makes  
available1 9 real "t1 any appo9tm5ts t 7
 previ\sly fill$ b lat] cancel$ by o!r  
pati5ts2 &  7,c7 all[s pati5ts to use ! 
onl9e s*$ul+ capability #bd h\rs p] day1
 sev5 days p] week4  7#d7 ,integration )
 exi/+ infra/ructure ,! ,secret>y %all  
ensure t a contractor aw>d$ a contract  
"u ?is section is able to integrate !   
onl9e s*$ul+ capability ( ! contractor )
 ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,in=mation ,sy/ems & 
,te*nology ,ar*itecture ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  
7d7 ,duration ( pilot program  7#a7 ,9  
g5]al ,except z provid$ by p>agraph     
7#b71 ! ,secret>y %all c>ry out ! pilot 
program "u subsection 7a7 dur+ !        
#ah-mon? p]iod beg9n+ on ! comm5cem5t ( 
! pilot program4  7#b7 ,ext5sion ,!     
,secret>y may ext5d ! duration ( ! pilot
 program "u subsection 7a71 & may exp& !
 selection ( ,vet]ans ,integrat$        
,s]vices ,networks "u subsection 7b71 if
 ! ,secret>y det]m9es t ! pilot program 

is r$uc+ ! wait times ( vet]ans seek+   
heal? c>e f ! ,dep>tm5t & ensur+ t m    
available appo9tm5t times are fill$4    
7e7 ,report ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft]     
comm5c+ ! pilot program "u subsection   
7a71 ! ,secret>y %all submit to !       
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'      
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a  
report on ! outcomes ( ! pilot program1 
includ+--  7#a7 :e!r ! pilot program    
demon/rat$-- 7,a7 improvem5ts to !      
ability ( vet]ans to s*$ule appo9tm5ts =
 ! receipt ( heal? c>e f ! ,dep>tm5t2 & 
7,b7 a r$uction 9 wait times = su*      
appo9tm5ts2 &  7#b7 su* recomm5dations =
 exp&+ ! pilot program to additional    
,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vices ,networks z
 ! ,secret>y consid]s appropriate4  7f7 
,use ( am\nts o!rwise appropriat$ ,no   
additional am\nts are au?oriz$ to be    
appropriat$ to c>ry out ! pilot program 
"u subsection 7a7 & su* pilot program   
%all be c>ri$ out us+ am\nts o!rwise    
made available to ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans

 ,affairs = ! m$ical support &          
compliance acc\nt ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?   
,adm9i/ration4