,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bc  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(             
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #c1 #bjai,mr4 
,hudson 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 & to    
ext5d c]ta9 op]at+ h\rs = ph>macies &   
m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 & = o!r
 purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act   
may be cit$ z ! ,c>e ,vet]ans ,des]ve   
,act ( #bjai4  #b4 ,expansion ( ,vet]ans
 ,*oice ,program  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 =  
program  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,subsection      
7b77#b7 ( su* section is am5d$--  7,a7 9
 subp>agraph 7,c77ii71 by /rik+ or2     
7,b7 9 subp>agraph 7,d77ii77,,ii71 by   
/rik+ ! p]iod at ! end & ins]t+ 2 or2 & 
7,c7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new      
subp>agraph3  7,e7 has a s]vice-connect$
 disability rat$ at #ej p]c5t or m4  4  
7#b7 ,con=m+ am5dm5t ,subsection 7g77#c7
 ( su* section is am5d$ by /rik+ or 7,d7
 & ins]t+ 1 7,d71 or 7,e74  #c4 ,access 
( vet]ans to walk-9 cl9ics  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,sub*apt] ,i ( *apt] #ag ( title #ch1  
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ 
aft] section #agjc ! foll[+ new section3
  #agjc;,a4 ,hospital c>e & m$ical      
s]vices at walk-9 cl9ics  7a7 ,9 g5]al  
,! ,secret>y %all ent] into a contract )
 a national *a9 ( walk-9 cl9ics to      

provide ! hospital c>e & m$ical s]vices 
(f]$ 9 su* cl9ics to vet]ans enroll$ 9 !
 sy/em ( annual pati5t enrollm5t        
e/abli%$ & op]at$ "u section #agje ( ?is
 title4  7b7 ,no au?orization or        
copaym5t requir$ ,9 receiv+ hospital c>e
 or m$ical s]vices at a walk-9 cl9ic "u 
subsection 7a71 a vet]an is n requir$-- 
7#a7 to obta9 au?orization be=e receiv+ 
su* c>e or s]vices at ! cl9ic2 or  7#b7 
to pay a copaym5t to ! cl9ic or !       
,dep>tm5t 9 connection ) ! receipt ( su*
 c>e or s]vices4  7c7 ,locations ,!     
,secret>y may n require a national *a9 (
 walk-9 cl9ics to exp& _! locations z a 
condition ( a contract ent]$ into "u    
subsection 7a74  7d7 ,transmittal (     
in=mation  7#a7 ,! national *a9 ( walk-9
 cl9ics ) :i* ! ,secret>y has ent]$ into
 a contract "u subsection 7a7 %all      
e/abli% an automat$ sy/em t transmits to
 ! ,secret>y on a weekly basis in=mation
 reg>d+ ! hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices
 provid$ to vet]ans "u ?is section dur+ 
su* week4  7#b7 ,! automat$ sy/em "u    

p>agraph 7#a7 %all be e/abli%$ 9 a mann]
 t all[s ! sy/em to securely transmit   
in=mation to ! electronic heal? record (
 a vet]an reg>d+ ! hospital c>e & m$ical
 s]vices provid$ to ! vet]an "u ?is     
section4  7#c7 ,transmittal ( in=mation 
"u p>agraph 7#a7 may n be requir$ z a   
condition ( paym5t = hospital c>e or    
m$ical s]vices provid$ "u ?is section4  
4  7b7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table (      
sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #ag ( su*  
title is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] ! item    
relat+ to section #agjc ! foll[+ new    
item3  #agjc;,a4 ,hospital c>e & m$ical 
s]vices at walk-9 cl9ics4  4  #d4       
,lic5sure ( heal? c>e pr(essionals ( !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs provid+   
treatm5t via telem$ic9e  7a7 ,9 g5]al   
,sub*apt] ,,iii ( *apt] #ag ( title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+
 aft] section #agcj;,c ! foll[+ new     
section3  #agcj;,d4 ,lic5sure ( heal?   
c>e pr(essionals provid+ treatm5t via   
telem$ic9e  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+ any   
provision ( law reg>d+ ! lic5sure (     

heal? c>e pr(essionals1 a cov]$ heal?   
c>e pr(essional may practice ! heal? c>e
 pr(ession ( ! heal? c>e pr(essional at 
any location 9 any ,/ate1 reg>dless (   
:]e su* heal? c>e pr(essional or !      
pati5t is locat$1 if ! heal? c>e        
pr(essional is us+ telem$ic9e to provide
 treatm5t to an individual "u ?is *apt]4
  7b7 ,location ( c>e ,subsection 7a7   
%all apply to a cov]$ heal? c>e         
pr(essional provid+ treatm5t to a pati5t
 reg>dless ( :e!r su* heal? c>e         
pr(essional or pati5t is locat$ 9 a     
facility own$ by ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t dur+
 su* treatm5t4  7c7 ,rule ( con/ruction 
,no?+ 9 ?is section may be con/ru$ to   
remove1 limit1 or o!rwise affect any    
obligation ( a cov]$ heal? c>e          
pr(essional "u ! ,controll$ ,sub/ances  
,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hja et seq474  7d7 
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m 
cov]$ heal? c>e pr(essional means a     
heal? c>e pr(essional :o is--  7,a7     
au?oriz$ by ! ,secret>y to provide heal?
 c>e "u ?is *apt]1 includ+ a private    

heal? c>e pr(essional :o provides su*   
c>e "u a contract or agreem5t ent]$ into
 ) ! ,secret>y1 includ+ a contract ent]$
 into "u section #agjc ( ?is title2 &   
7,b7 lic5s$1 regi/]$1 or c]tifi$ 9 a    
,/ate to practice ! heal? c>e pr(ession 
( ! heal? c>e pr(essional4  7#b7 ,! t]m 
telem$ic9e means ! use (                
telecommunication te*nology & in=mation 
te*nology to provide heal? c>e or       
support ! provision ( heal? c>e 9       
situations 9 :i* ! pati5t & heal? c>e   
pr(essional are sep>at$ by geographic   
di/ance4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,!    
table ( sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #ag
 ( su* title is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] !  
item relat+ to section #agcj;,c ! foll[+
 new item3  #agcj;,d4 ,lic5sure ( heal? 
c>e pr(essionals provid+ treatm5t via   
telem$ic9e4  4  7c7 ,report on          
telem$ic9e  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an "o
 ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'
 ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on  

,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives a report on !           
effectiv5ess ( ! use ( telem$ic9e by !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  7#b7    
,elem5ts ,! report requir$ by p>agraph  
7#a7 %all include an assessm5t ( !      
foll[+3 7,a7 ,! satisfaction ( vet]ans )
 telem$ic9e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t4     
7,b7 ,! satisfaction ( heal? c>e        
provid]s 9 provid+ telem$ic9e furni%$ by
 ! ,dep>tm5t4  7,c7 ,! effect (         
telem$ic9e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t on !  
foll[+3  7i7 ,! ability ( vet]ans to    
access heal? c>e1 :e!r f ! ,dep>tm5t or 
f non-,dep>tm5t heal? c>e provid]s4     
7ii7 ,! frequ5cy ( use by vet]ans (     
telem$ic9e4  7iii7 ,! productivity (    
heal? c>e provid]s4  7iv7 ,wait times = 
an appo9tm5t = ! receipt ( heal? c>e f !
 ,dep>tm5t4  7v7 ,! r$uction1 if any1 9 
! use by vet]ans ( s]vices at ,dep>tm5t 
facilities & non-,dep>tm5t facilities4  
7,d7 ,! types ( appo9tm5ts = ! receipt (
 telem$ic9e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t t 7  
provid$ dur+ ! "o-ye> p]iod prec$+ !    

submittal ( ! report4  7,e7 ,! numb] (  
appo9tm5ts = ! receipt ( telem$ic9e     
furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t t 7 reque/$ dur+ 
su* p]iod1 disaggregat$ by ,vet]ans     
,integrat$ ,s]vice ,network4  7,f7      
,sav+s by ! ,dep>tm5t1 if any1 includ+  
travel co/s1 ( furni%+ heal? c>e ?r\gh !
 use ( telem$ic9e dur+ su* p]iod4  7#c7 
,telem$ic9e def9$ ,9 ?is subsection1 !  
t]m telem$ic9e has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 
section #agcj;,d7d77#b7 ( title #ch1    
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z add$ by          
subsection 7a74  #e4 ,ext5sion ( op]at+ 
h\rs = ph>macies & m$ical facilities ( !
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7     
,ext5sion ( op]at+ h\rs = ph>macies ,!  
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all ext5d
 ! op]at+ h\rs = ea* ph>macy ( !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs dur+ :i* !
 ph>macy (f]s s]vices comp>able to      
retail ph>macies to include--  7#a7     
op]ation on ,saturday1 ,sunday1 & ,f$]al
 holidays2 &  7#b7 op]ation until #h3jj 
p4m4 on weekdays t are n ,f$]al         
holidays4  7b7 ,contracts ) provid]s    

dur+ nights & week5ds ,! ,secret>y %all 
ent] into contracts1 includ+ ?r\gh locum
 t55s arrangem5ts1 ) physicians & nurses
 t meet qualifications set =? by !      
,secret>y = purposes ( ?is section "u   
:i* su* physicians & nurses "w at m$ical
 facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t dur+ nights & 
week5ds4  7c7 ,support /aff ,! ,secret>y
 may obta9 additional support /aff z    
necess>y to c>ry out ?is section1       
includ+ by hir+ employees or contract+ =
 s]vices4  #f4 ,conduct ( be/-practices 
pe] review ( ea* m$ical c5t] ( !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7 ,9   
g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
may provide = ! conduct by a            
nongov]nm5tal hospital organization ( a 
be/-practices pe] review ( ea* m$ical   
c5t] ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
to evaluate ! efficacy ( heal? c>e      
deliv]$ at ea* su* m$ical c5t]4  7b7    
,priority ,! ,secret>y %all give        
priority = pe] review conduct$ "u       
subsection 7a7 to ! m$ical c5t]s ( !    
,dep>tm5t ) ! longe/ wait times = an    

appo9tm5t or ! wor/ heal? outcomes1 z   
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4