,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #cfjc  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #h            
7legislative day1 ,febru>y #c71         
#bjbb,mrs4 ,blackburn 7= h]self & ,mr4  
,tub]ville7 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 to improve !
 ability ( vet]ans to access m$ical c>e 
9 m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs & 9 ! community by    
provid+ vet]ans ! ability to *oose heal?
 c>e provid]s4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is    
,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,heal?    
,c>e ,fre$om ,act4  #b4 ,pilot program  
on ability ( vet]ans to *oose heal? c>e 
provid]s  7a7 ,pilot program  7#a7      
,requirem5t ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,c5t] =          
,innovation = ,c>e & ,paym5t ( !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 %all c>ry
 out a pilot program to improve !       
ability ( eligible vet]ans to access    

hospital c>e1 m$ical s]vices1 & ext5d$  
c>e s]vices ?r\gh ! cov]$ c>e sy/em by  
provid+ eligible vet]ans ! ability to   
*oose heal? c>e provid]s4  7#b7         
,locations ,! ,secret>y %all select a   
m9imum ( f\r ,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vice
 ,networks 9 :i* to c>ry out ! pilot    
program4  7b7 ,removal ( c]ta9          
requirem5ts ,to access c>e ,9 c>ry+ out 
! pilot program1 ! ,secret>y %all furni%
 hospital c>e1 m$ical s]vices1 & ext5d$ 
c>e s]vices to eligible vet]ans ?r\gh ! 
cov]$ c>e sy/em z foll[s3 7#a7 ,at      
m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs1 reg>dless ( :e!r !   
facility is 9 ! same ,vet]ans ,integrat$
 ,s]vice ,network z ! ,network 9 :i* !  
vet]an resides4  7#b7 ,at non-,dep>tm5t 
facilities pursuant to1 z appropriate-- 
7,a7 section #agjc ( title #ch1 ,unit$  
,/ates ,code1 )\t reg>d to ! requirem5ts
 specifi$ 9 subsection 7d7 ( su*        
section2 or  7,b7 section #agjc;,a ( su*
 title1 )\t reg>d to :e!r ! c>e or      
s]vice is n feasibly available to !     

eligible vet]an f a facility ( !        
,dep>tm5t or ?r\gh a contract or %>+    
agreem5t ent]$ into pursuant to a       
provision ( law o!r ?an su* section z   
requir$ "u subp>agraphs 7,a7 & 7,c7 (   
subsection 7a77#a7 ( su* section4  7c7  
,election ( vet]an ,9 accordance )      
subsections 7d7 & 7e71 an eligible      
vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program may 
elect to receive hospital c>e1 m$ical   
s]vices1 & ext5d$ c>e s]vices at any    
provid] 9 ! cov]$ c>e sy/em4  7d7       
,coord9ation ( c>e  7#a7 ,selection ,ea*
 eligible vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot   
program %all select a prim>y c>e provid]
 9 ! cov]$ c>e sy/em4  7#b7 ,coord9ation
 ,! prim>y c>e provid] ( an eligible    
vet]an select$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all--  
7,a7 coord9ate ) ! ,secret>y & o!r heal?
 c>e provid]s ! hospital c>e1 m$ical    
s]vices1 & ext5d$ c>e s]vices furni%$ to
 ! vet]an "u ! pilot program2 &  7,b7   
ref] ! vet]an to specialty c>e provid]s 
9 ! cov]$ c>e sy/em1 z cl9ically        
necess>y4  7#c7 ,sy/ems ,! ,secret>y    

%all e/abli% sy/ems z ! ,secret>y       
det]m9es appropriate to ensure t a      
prim>y c>e provid] c effectively        
coord9ate ! hospital c>e1 m$ical        
s]vices1 & ext5d$ c>e s]vices furni%$ to
 a vet]an "u ! pilot program4  7e7      
,specialty c>e  7#a7 ,access ,subject to
 subsection 7d77#b77;,b71 an eligible   
vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program may 
select any specialty c>e provid] 9 !    
cov]$ c>e sy/em f :i* to receive        
specialty c>e4  7#b7 ,designation ,!    
,secret>y may designate a specialty c>e 
provid] z a prim>y c>e provid] ( an     
eligible vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot    
program if ! ,secret>y det]m9es t su*   
designation is 9 ! heal? int]e/s ( !    
vet]an 7su* z an endocr9ologi/ ) respect
 to a vet]an diagnos$ ) diabetes1 a     
neurologi/ ) respect to a vet]an        
diagnos$ ) ,p>k9son's disease1 or an    
ob/etrician-gynecologi/ ) respect to a  
female vet]an74  7f7 ,m5tal heal? c>e   
,an eligible vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot
 program may select a m5tal heal? c>e   

provid] 9 ! cov]$ c>e sy/em f :i* to    
receive m5tal heal? c>e4  7g7 ,in=mation
 ,9 c>ry+ out ! pilot program1 !        
,secret>y %all furni% to eligible       
vet]ans ! in=mation on eligibility1 co/ 
%>+1 treatm5ts1 & provid]s requir$ =    
vet]ans to make in=m$ decisions )       
respect to-- 7#a7 select+ prim>y c>e    
provid]s & specialty c>e provid]s2 &    
7#b7 treatm5ts available to ! vet]an4   
7h7 ,duration  7#a7 ,phase 9 ,!         
,secret>y %all c>ry out ! pilot program 
dur+ ! ?ree-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date t
 is "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (   
?is ,act4  7#b7 ,p]man5t requirem5t     
7,a7 ,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program  
,section #agjc7;d7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$  
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7i7 9 p>agraph 
7#a71 by /rik+ ,! ,secret>y %all &      
ins]t+ ,except z provid$ by p>agraph    
7#d71 ! ,secret>y %all2 &  7ii7 by add+ 
at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#d7   
,beg9n+ on ! date t is f\r ye>s aft] !  
date ( ! enactm5t ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?   
,c>e ,fre$om ,act-- 7,a7 ! requirem5ts  

"u p>agraphs 7#a71 7#b71 & 7#c7 %all n  
apply ) respect to furni%+ hospital c>e1
 m$ical s]vices1 & ext5d$ c>e s]vices to
 a cov]$ vet]an "u ?is section2 &  7,b7 
! ,secret>y %all furni% hospital c>e1   
m$ical s]vices1 & ext5d$ c>e s]vices to 
a cov]$ vet]an "u ?is section ) ! same  
conditions on ! ability ( ! vet]an to   
*oose heal? c>e provid]s z specifi$ 9 ! 
pilot program describ$ 9 section #b (   
su* ,act4  4  7,b7 ,vet]ans ,c>e        
,agreem5ts ,section #agjc;,a7a77#a7 (   
su* title is am5d$-- 7i7 9 subp>agraph  
7,c71 by /rik+ ,= purposes & ins]t+     
,except z provid$ by subp>agraph 7,e71 =
 purposes2 &  7ii7 by add+ at ! end !   
foll[+ new subp>agraph3  7,e7 ,beg9n+ on
 ! date t is f\r ye>s aft] ! date ( !   
enactm5t ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,c>e       
,fre$om ,act-- 7i7 ! requirem5t "u      
subp>agraph 7,a7 & 7,c7 t c>e or s]vices
 may only be furni%$ "u ?is section to  
cov]$ individuals :5 su* c>e or s]vices 
are n feasibly available to ! cov]$     
individual f a facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t or

 ?r\gh a contract or %>+ agreem5t ent]$ 
into pursuant to a provision ( law o!r  
?an ?is section %all n apply ) respect  
to furni%+ hospital c>e1 m$ical s]vices1
 & ext5d$ c>e s]vices to a cov]$        
individual "u ?is section2 &  7ii7 !    
,secret>y %all furni% hospital c>e1     
m$ical s]vices1 & ext5d$ c>e s]vices to 
a cov]$ individual "u ?is section ) !   
same conditions on ! ability ( !        
individual to *oose heal? c>e provid]s z
 specifi$ 9 ! pilot program describ$ 9  
section #b ( su* ,act4  4  7,c7         
,v,i,s,ns ,beg9n+ on ! date t is f\r    
ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y %all furni% hospital  
c>e1 m$ical s]vices1 & ext5d$ c>e       
s]vices to vet]ans "u *apt] #ag ( title 
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 at m$ical     
facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs1 reg>dless ( :e!r ! facility is
 9 ! same ,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vice   
,network z ! ,network 9 :i* ! vet]an    
resides4  7i7 ,reports  7#a7            
,implem5tation  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,on a     

qu>t]ly basis dur+ ! two-ye> p]iod      
beg9n+ on ! 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 ! implem5tation ( ! pilot     
program4  7,b7 ,f9al design ,"o ( !     
reports requir$ "u subp>agraph 7,a7 %all
 conta9 a description ( ! f9al design ( 
! pilot program4  7#b7 ,annual ,on an   
annual basis dur+ ! p]iod beg9n+ on !   
date t is "o ye> aft] ! date ( !        
submission ( ! f9al report "u p>agraph  
7#a7 & end+ on ! date ( ! conclusion ( !
 pilot program1 ! ,secret>y %all submit 
to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( 
! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'    
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a  
report on ! results ( ! pilot program4  
7j7 ,regulations ,! ,secret>y1 9        
consultation ) ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'
 ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives1 may prescribe          

regulations to c>ry out ?is section4    
7k7 ,no additional appropriations ,no   
additional funds are au?oriz$ to be     
appropriat$ to c>ry out ?is section & ! 
am5dm5ts made by ?is section1 & ?is     
section & ! am5dm5ts made by ?is section
 %all be c>ri$ out us+ am\nts o!rwise   
made available to ! ,vet]ans ,heal?     
,adm9i/ration4  7l7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is  
section3 7#a7 ,cov]$ c>e sy/em ,! t]m   
cov]$ c>e sy/em means ea*-- 7,a7 m$ical 
facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t2  7,b7 heal? c>e 
provid] specifi$ 9 subsection #agjc7;c7 
( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 &     
7,c7 eligible entity or provid] t has   
ent]$ into a ,vet]ans ,c>e ,agreem5t "u 
section #agjc;,a ( su* title4  7#b7     
,eligible vet]an ,! t]m eligible vet]an 
means a vet]an :o is enroll$ 9 ! pati5t 
enrollm5t sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs "u section #agje ( title #ch1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#c7 ,hospital    
c>e2 m$ical s]vices2 non-,dep>tm5t      
facilities ,! t]ms hospital c>e1 m$ical 
s]vices1 & non-,dep>tm5t facilities h ! 

mean+s giv5 ^? t]ms 9 section #agja (   
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4