,,ib  ,union ,cal5d> ,no4 #hb  #aae?    
,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 ,r4 #agbe 
,report ,no4 #aae-acc  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se   
,,( ,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #bd1 #bjag   
,mr4 ,walz 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,d5ham1 ,mr4
 ,langev91 ,ms4 ,mc,sally1 ,mr4 ,johnson
 ( ,ohio1 ,mr4 ,co/ello ( ,p5nsylvania1 
& ,ms4 ,ku/] ( ,new ,hamp%ire7 introduc$
 ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !       
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,may  
#ai1 #bjag ,additional sponsors3 ,mr4   
,higg9s ( ,new ,york & ,ms4 ,%ea-,port] 
,may #ai1 #bjag ,report$ ) am5dm5ts1    
committ$ to ! ,committee ( ! ,:ole ,h\se
 on ! ,/ate ( ! ,union1 & ord]$ to be   
pr9t$ ,/rike out all aft] ! enact+      
clause & ins]t ! "p pr9t$ 9 italic ,=   
text ( introduc$ bill1 see copy ( bill z
 introduc$ on ,m>* #bd1 #bjag  ,a ,,bill
  ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates     
,code1 to improve ! treatm5t ( m$ical   
evid5ce provid$ by non-,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical pr(essionals 9 
support ( claims = disability           
comp5sation "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !     

,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r  
purposes4  #a4 ,report on progress (    
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs           
,acceptable ,cl9ical ,evid5ce initiative
  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ahj days    
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !  
,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committee on
 ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !      
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on !   
progress ( ! ,acceptable ,cl9ical       
,evid5ce initiative ( ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs 9 r$uc+ ! necessity = 
9-p]son disability exam9ations & o!r    
ef=ts to comply ) ! provisions ( section
 #eabe ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4
  7b7 ,cont5ts ( report ,! report       
requir$ by subsection 7a7 %all include !
 foll[+3  7#a7 ,! numb] ( claims        
eligible = ! ,acceptable ,cl9ical       
,evid5ce initiative dur+ ! p]iod beg9n+ 
on ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( ! initiative 
& end+ on ! date ( ! submittal ( !      
report1 disaggregat$ by fiscal ye>4     
7#b7 ,! total numb] ( claims eligible = 

! ,acceptable ,cl9ical ,evid5ce         
initiative t requir$ a m$ical exam9] ( !
 ,dep>tm5t to supplem5t ! evid5ce )     
in=mation obta9$ dur+ a telephone       
int]view ) a claimant4  7#c7 ,in=mation 
on any o!r initiatives or ef=ts ( !     
,dep>tm5t to fur!r enc\rage ! use (     
private m$ical evid5ce & reliance ^u    
reports ( a m$ical exam9ation adm9i/]$  
by a private physician if ! report is   
suffici5tly complete to be adequate = ! 
purposes ( adjudicat+ a claim4  7#d7 ,! 
anticipat$ impact on ! timel9e &        
accuracy ( a decision on a claim =      
b5efits "u *apt] #aa or #ae ( title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 if ! ,secret>y 7  
prohibit$ f reque/+ a m$ical exam9ation 
9 ! case ( a claim 9 support ( :i* a    
claimant submits m$ical evid5ce & a     
m$ical op9ion provid$ by a private      
physician t is compet5t1 cr$ible1       
probative1 & o!rwise adequate = !       
purpose ( mak+ a decision on t claim4   
7#e7 ,recomm5dations on h[ ! ,dep>tm5t c
 measure1 track1 & prev5t ! ord]+ (     

unnecess>y m$ical exam9ations :5 !      
provision by a claimant ( a m$ical      
exam9ation adm9i/]$ by a private        
physician 9 support ( a claim = b5efits 
"u *apt] #aa or #ae ( title #ch1 ,unit$ 
,/ates ,code1 is adequate = ! purpose ( 
mak+ a decision on t claim4  #b4 ,annual
 report on submittal ( private m$ical   
evid5ce 9 support ( claims = ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs b5efits ,n lat] ?an  
,m>* #a ( fiscal ye>s #bjah ?r\gh #bjbd1
 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all   
submit to ,congress a report t includes1
 = ! cal5d> ye> prec$+ ! ye> 9 :i* !    
report is submitt$1 ! foll[+ = ea*      
regional (fice ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans 
,affairs3  7#a7 ,! numb] ( times a      
vet]an :o submitt$ private m$ical       
evid5ce 9 support ( a claim =           
comp5sation or p5sion "u ! laws adm9i/]$
 by ! ,secret>y 0 s*$ul$ = an exam9ation
 p]=m$ by ,dep>tm5t p]sonnel because !  
private m$ical evid5ce submitt$ 0       
det]m9$ to be unacceptable4  7#b7 ,! mo/
 common reasons :y private m$ical       

evid5ce submitt$ 9 support ( claims =   
b5efits "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !         
,secret>y 0 det]m9$ to be unacceptable4 
7#c7 ,! types ( disabilities = :i*      
claims = b5efits "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !
 ,secret>y 7 mo/ly commonly d5i$ :5     
private m$ical evid5ce 0 submitt$4      
,am5d ! title s z to read3 ,a bill to   
direct ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
to submit c]ta9 reports relat+ to m$ical
 evid5ce submitt$ 9 support ( claims =  
b5efits "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !         
,secret>y44 ,may #ai1 #bjag ,report$ )  
am5dm5ts1 committ$ to ! ,committee ( !  
,:ole ,h\se on ! ,/ate ( ! ,union1 &    
ord]$ to be pr9t$