#aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cfdb ,,an ,,act ,to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to carry out a pilot program to improve the access to private health care for veterans who are survivors of military sexual trauma4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,military ,sexual ,assault ,victims ,empowerment ,act or the ,military ,,save ,act4 #b4 ,pilot program for private health care for veterans who are survivors of military sexual trauma 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall carry out a pilot program to furnish hospital care and medical services to eligible veterans through non-,department health care providers to treat injuries or illnesses which1 in the judgment of a professional employed by the ,department1 resulted from a physical assault of a sexual nature1 battery of a sexual nature1 or sexual harassment which occurred while the veteran was serving on active duty1 active duty for training1 or inactive duty training4 7b7 ,duration ,the ,secretary shall carry out the pilot program under subsection 7a7 for a #c-year period4 ,if at the completion of the pilot program an eligible veteran is receiving hospital care and medical services from a non-,department health care provider under the pilot program1 the ,secretary may approve1 on a case-by-case basis1 the continuation of such hospital care and medical services from that non-,department health care provider until the completion of the episode of care4 7c7 ,eligible veterans ,a veteran is eligible to participate in the pilot program under subsection 7a7 if the veteran-- 7#a7 is eligible to receive counseling and appropriate care and services under section #agbj;,d of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7#b7 resides in a site selected under subsection 7d74 7d7 sites 7#a7 ,selection ,the ,secretary shall select not more than five sites in which to carry out the pilot program under subsection 7a74 ,each site shall meet each of the following criteria3 7,a7 ,except as provided by paragraph 7#b71 the site consists of a city with a population between #bjj1jjj and #ejj1jjj1 as determined by the ,bureau of the ,census as of the first day of the pilot program4 7,b7 ,the site is in a ,state in which the ,national ,violence ,against ,women ,prevention ,research ,center or the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 or both1 has determined the rate of sexual assault to be a substantial problem4 7,c7 ,the site is in a ,state that1 as of the first day of the pilot program1 has a weighted percentage of reported rape of not less than #bj percent but not more than #cj percent of sexual assault cases1 in accordance with the finding of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention contained in the #8,lifetime ,prevalence of ,sexual ,violence by any ,perpetrator 7,,nisvs #bjaj74 7#b7 ,rural site ,not fewer than one site selected under paragraph 7#a7 shall be rural1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7e7 ,participation 7#a7 ,election ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 an eligible veteran may elect to participate in the pilot program under subsection 7a74 ,such election shall not affect the ability of the veteran to receive health care furnished by ,department providers4 7#b7 ,number ,not more than #ge veterans may participate in the pilot program under subsection 7a7 at each site selected under subsection 7d74 7#c7 ,choice of non-,department health care providers ,an eligible veteran who participates in the pilot program under subsection 7a7 may freely choose from which non-,department health care provider the veteran receives hospital care or medical services under the pilot program1 except that the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 ensure that each such non-,department health care provider maintains at least the same or similar credentials and licenses as those credentials and licenses that are required of health care providers of the ,department1 as determined by the ,secretary for the purposes of this section2 and 7,b7 make a reasonable effort to ensure that such non-,department health care provider is familiar with the conditions and concerns that affect members of the ,armed ,forces and veterans and is trained in evidence-based psychotherapy4 7#d7 ,provision of information ,the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 notify eligible veterans of the ability to make an election under paragraph 7#a72 and 7,b7 provide to such veterans educational referral materials1 including through pamphlets and internet websites1 on the non-,department providers in the sites selected under subsection 7d74 7f7 ,authorization and monitoring of care ,in accordance with subsection 7e71 the ,secretary shall ensure that the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs authorizes and monitors the hospital care and medical services furnished under the pilot program for appropriateness and necessity4 ,in authorizing and monitoring such care1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 treat a non-,department health care provider that furnishes to such a veteran hospital care or medical services under the pilot program as an authorized recipient of records of such veteran for purposes of section #gccb7;b7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7#b7 ensure that such non-,department health care provider transmits to the ,department such records as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7g7 ,payments 7#a7 ,current providers ,if a non-,department health care provider has entered into a contract1 agreement1 or other arrangement with the ,secretary pursuant to another provision of law to furnish hospital care or medical services to veterans1 the ,secretary shall pay the health care provider for hospital care or medical services furnished under this section using the same rates and payment schedules as provided for in such contract1 agreement1 or other arrangement4 7#b7 ,new providers ,if a non-,department health care provider has not entered into a contract1 agreement1 or other arrangement with the ,secretary pursuant to another provision of law to furnish hospital care or medical services to veterans1 the ,secretary shall pay the health care provider for hospital care or medical services furnished under this section using the same rates and payment schedule as if such care and services was furnished pursuant to section #agjc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#c7 ,new ,contracts ,and ,agreements ,the ,secretary shall take reasonable efforts to enter into a contract1 agreement1 or other arrangement with a non-,department health care provider described in subsection 7a7 to ensure that future care and services authorized by the ,secretary and furnished by the provider are subject to such a contract1 agreement1 or other arrangement4 7h7 ,surveys ,the ,secretary shall conduct a survey of a sample of eligible veterans to assess the hospital care and medical services furnished to such veterans either pursuant to this section or section #agbj;,d of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as the case may be4 7i7 ,report ,not later than #fj days before the completion of the pilot program under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,senate a report on the pilot program4 ,the report shall include the following3 7#a7 ,the results of the pilot program1 including1 to the extent possible1 an assessment of the health outcomes of veterans who participated in the pilot program4 7#b7 ,the recommendation of the ,secretary with respect to extending or making permanent the pilot program4 7j7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term non-,department health care provider means an entity specified in section #aja7;a77#a77;,b7 of section #aja of the ,veterans ,access1 ,choice1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjae 7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja7 or any other health care provider that has entered into a contract1 agreement1 or other arrangement with the ,secretary pursuant to another provision of law to furnish hospital care or medical services to veterans4 7#b7 ,the term sexual harassment has the meaning given that term in section #agbj;,d of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#c7 ,the term ,state has the meaning given that term in section #aja7bj7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 #c4 ,no additional funds authorized ,no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the requirements of this ,act4 ,such requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,may #ba1 #bjah4;,clerk4