,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cigi  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #ai1    
#bjbd,mr4 ,moran 7for himself and ,mr4  
,king7 introduced the following bill2   
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a  
,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 to make permanent and    
codify the pilot program for use of     
contract physicians for disability      
examinations1 and for other purposes4   
#a4 ,making permanent and codifying     
pilot program for use of contract       
physicians for disability examinations  
7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,i of       
chapter #ea of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 is amended by inserting  
after section #eajc;,a the following new
 section3  #eajc;,b4 ,use of contract   
physicians for disability examinations  
7a7 ,authority  7#a7 ,in general        
,examinations with respect to medical   
disability of applicants for benefits   
under laws administered by the          

,secretary that are carried out through 
the ,under ,secretary for ,benefits may 
be made by persons other than employees 
of the ,department4  7#b7 ,contracts    
,any examination by a person under      
paragraph 7#a7 shall be performed       
pursuant to a contract entered into by  
the ,under ,secretary for ,benefits with
 that person4  7b7 ,licensure of        
contract health care professionals  7#a7
 ,in general ,notwithstanding any       
provision of law regarding the licensure
 of health care professionals1 a health 
care professional described in paragraph
 7#b7 may conduct an examination        
pursuant to a contract entered into     
under subsection 7a7 at any location in 
any ,state so long as the examination is
 within the scope of the authorized     
duties under such contract4  7#b7       
,health care professional described ,a  
health care professional described in   
this paragraph is a person who is       
eligible for appointment to a position  
in the ,veterans ,health ,administration

 covered by section #gdjb7;b7 of this   
title1 who-- 7,a7 has a current         
unrestricted license to practice the    
health care profession of the health    
care professional2  7,b7 is not barred  
from practicing such health care        
profession in any ,state2 and  7,c7 is  
performing authorized duties for the    
,department pursuant to a contract      
entered into under subsection 7a74  7c7 
,source of funds ,expenses of carrying  
out this section1 including payments for
 examination travel and incidental      
expenses under the terms and conditions 
set forth by section #aaa of this title1
 shall be reimbursed to the accounts    
available for the general operating     
expenses of the ,veterans ,benefits     
,administration and information         
technology systems from amounts         
available to the ,secretary for payment 
of compensation and pensions4  7d7      
,mechanism for transmittal of new and   
material medical evidence introduced by 
applications during examinations ,the   

,secretary shall establish a mechanism  
whereby a health care professional      
providing an examination under          
subsection 7a7 for an applicant for a   
benefit described in such subsection can
 transmit to the ,secretary medical     
evidence introduced by the applicant    
during such examination that the health 
care professional considers new and     
material to the application4  4  7b7    
,clerical amendment ,the table of       
sections after the beginning of chapter 
#ea of such title is amended by         
inserting after the item relating to    
section #eajc;,a the following new item3
  #eajc;,b4 ,use of contract physicians 
for disability examinations4  4  7c7    
,termination of pilot program ,the pilot
 program under section #ejd7;a7 of the  
,veterans' ,benefits ,improvements ,act 
of #aiif 7,public ,law #ajd-bge2 #ch    
,u4,s4,c4 #eaja note7 is hereby         
terminated4  7d7 ,report to ,congress   
,not later than #c years after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      

,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
submit to the ,congress a report on the 
effect of the use of the authority      
provided by section #eajc;,b of such    
title1 as added by subsection 7a71 on   
the cost1 timeliness1 and thoroughness  
of medical disability examinations4