#aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4 ,r4
 #cdhb  ,,an ,,act  ,to am5d title #ch1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to e/abli% an onl9e
 program ?r\gh :i* an employee ( !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs may s*$ule
 an appo9tm5t = a cov]$ vet]an ) a      
non-,dep>tm5t heal? c>e provid] "u !    
,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program1 & =  
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,community    
,c>e ,s*$ul+ ,improvem5t ,act4  #b4     
,s*$ul+ ( appo9tm5ts "u ! ,vet]ans      
,community ,c>e ,program  7a7           
,electronic process ,subsection 7d7 (   
section #caja ( ! ,johnny ,isakson &    
,david ,p4 ,roe1 ,m4,d4 ,vet]ans ,heal? 
,c>e & ,b5efits ,improvem5t ,act ( #bjbj
 7,public ,law #aaf-cae2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4  
#agja note7 is am5d$ to read z foll[s3  
7d7 ,electronic process  7#a7 ,!        
,secret>y %all implem5t an electronic   
process ?r\gh :i* a s*$ul] ( !          
,dep>tm5t1 us+ an in=mation te*nology   
sy/em1 may s*$ule an appo9tm5t = heal?  
c>e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t or ?r\gh !   

,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program1 "u   
section #agjc ( ?is title1 by a         
non-,dep>tm5t heal? c>e provid]4  7#b7  
,! electronic process "u ?is subsection 
%all all[ a s*$ul]1 ) reg>ds to         
appo9tm5ts describ$ 9--  7,a7 ei!r      
clause ( subp>agraph 7,a7 ( subsection  
7a77#a71 to view1 se>*1 & sort su*      
appo9tm5ts by type ( c>e1 location1 &   
date2 &  7,b7 clause 7ii7 ( su*         
subp>agraph--  7i7 to s*$ule su* an     
appo9tm5t2  7ii7 to provide ref]ral &   
au?orization docum5ts directly to a     
non-,dep>tm5t provid]2 &  7iii7 to p]=m 
any o!r function ! ,secret>y det]m9es   
necess>y4  7#c7 ,! ,secret>y %all ensure
 t ! electronic process all[s a s*$ul]  
to s*$ule an appo9tm5t = heal? c>e      
furni%$ by ! ,secret>y ?r\gh a heal? c>e
 provid] ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#d7 ,!        
,secret>y %all implem5t ! electronic    
process ?r\gh an exi/+ agreem5t if      
practicable4  7#e7 ,! ,secret>y %all    
submit to ! ,committees on ,vet]ans'    
,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ,h\se (           

,repres5tatives ! foll[+ reg>d+ !       
electronic process3  7,a7 ,n lat] ?an   
#ij days aft] ! ,secret>y makes a       
det]m9ation "u subp>agraph 7,b77iii7 (  
p>agraph 7#b71 a brief+ reg>d+ !        
functions ! ,secret>y has det]m9$       
necess>y4  7,b7 ,n lat] ?an six mon?s   
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,community ,c>e ,s*$ul+ ,improvem5t     
,act1 & semiannually !reaft] dur+ !     
foll[+ ?ree ye>s1 a report reg>d+       
op]ation ( ! electronic process dur+ bo?
 ! semiannual p]iod prec$+ ! date ( !   
report & ! cumulative p]iod s9ce ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( su* ,act4 ,su* a report  
%all include ! foll[+ = ea* su* p]iod3  
7i7 ,! numb] ( non-,dep>tm5t heal? c>e  
provid]s t p>ticipat$ 9 su* electronic  
process1 disaggregat$ by-- 7,i7 category
 ( hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices       
provid$2 &  7,,ii7 m$ical c5t] ( !      
,dep>tm5t2  7ii7 ,! numb] ( appo9tm5ts  
s*$ul$ pursuant to ! electronic process1
 disaggregat$ by--  7,i7 category (     
hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices provid$2 

7,,ii7 m$ical c5t] ( ! ,dep>tm5t2 &     
7,,iii7 mon?4  7iii7 ,a comp>ison ( !   
av]age wait "t = appo9tm5ts s*$ul$ ?r\gh
 ! electronic process & ?r\gh           
non-electronic me?ods1 disaggregat$ by  
m$ical c5t] ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7iv7 ,!     
rates at :i* vet]ans cancell$ appo9tm5ts
 s*$ul$ ?r\gh ! electronic process4  7v7
 ,! rates at :i* vet]ans did n appe> =  
appo9tm5ts s*$ul$ ?r\gh ! electronic    
process4  4  7b7 ,implem5tation  7#a7   
,date ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
%all implem5t ! electronic process "u   
subsection 7d7 ( section #agjc;,h ( su* 
title1 z add$ by ?is section1 n lat] ?an
 two ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is
 ,act4  7#b7 ,guidel9es ,n lat] ?an #ij 
days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all e/abli% guidel9es4 ,su* guidel9es  
%all include ! foll[+3  7,a7 ,proc$ures 
= s*$ul]s & o!r employees ( ! ,dep>tm5t 
involv$ 9 ! s*$ul+ ( appo9tm5ts describ$
 9 su* section4  7,b7 ,a directive t    
employees describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a7   

use ! electronic process to ! ext5t     
practicable4  7,c7 ,a directive t       
employees describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a71  
:5 s*$ul+ an appo9tm5t = a cov]$ vet]an 
7z su* t]m is us$ 9 section #agjc ( su* 
title7 = heal? c>e furni%$ by !         
,secret>y1 in=m su* cov]$ vet]an (      
available appo9tm5ts ?\gh provid]s ( !  
,dep>tm5t & ?r\gh provid]s "u ! ,vet]ans
 ,community ,c>e ,program :5 eligible4  
7,d7 ,proc$ures = engag+ ) non-,dep>tm5t
 heal? c>e provid]s 9 specializ$ cases4 
7,e7 ,/&>ds reg>d+ timel9ess & accuracy4
  7,f7 ,escalation protocols = s*$ul+   
failures or delays4  7#c7 ,tra9+ ,n lat]
 ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t 
( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all implem5t a 
m&atory tra9+ program = employees       
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b7 reg>d+ !       
guidel9es "u p>agraph 7#b74  7#d7       
,evaluation ,n lat] ?an #fj days aft] ! 
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !         
,secret>y %all prescribe p]=mance       
b5*m>ks & outcome-bas$ metrics = !      
electronic process "u su* section1      

includ+--  7,a7 "t betwe5 a ref]ral & a 
s*$ul$ appo9tm5t2  7,b7 pati5t          
satisfaction2 &  7,c7 ! p]c5tage (      
appo9tm5ts s*$ul$ exclusively ?r\gh !   
electronic process4  7#e7 ,outrea* ,n   
lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( !       
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all   
plan & c>ry out an outrea* /rategy to   
enc\rage non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs heal? c>e provid]s t p>ticipate
 9 ! ,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program  
to p>ticipate 9 ! electronic process "u 
su* subsection4 ,su* outrea* %all--     
7,a7 include contact+ ea* su* provid]   
dur+ su* #ij days2  7,b7 include seek+  
to ent] into an agreem5t ) ea* su*      
provid] "u :i* ! provid] %all p>ticipate
 9 ! electronic process2  7,c7 include  
collaborat+ ) ,/ate hospital            
associations & rural heal? associations 
to promote su* p>ticipation2  7,d7 focus
 on provid]s 9 specialties or und]s]v$  
areas1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y2 &  7,e7
 include ! publication1 on a publicly   
accessible website ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 (     

in=mation reg>d+-- 7i7 details ( !      
electronic process2  7ii7 h[ a provid]  
may elect to p>ticipate 9 ! electronic  
process2 &  7iii7 a po9t ( contact 9 !  
,dep>tm5t reg>d+ ! electronic process4  
7#f7 ,ov]sight ,! ,secret>y %all submit 
to ! ,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs (
 ! ,s5ate & ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives1 )  
reg>ds to ! electronic process "u su*   
subsection1 ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,n lat] ?an  
#cj days aft] ! ,secret>y e/abli%es     
guidel9es "u p>agraph 7#b7 ( ?is        
subsection1 a copy ( su* guidel9es4     
7,b7 ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft] !        
,secret>y =mulates ! plan "u p>agraph   
7#e7 ( ?is subsection1 a brief+ on !    
outrea* /rategy "u su* p>agraph4  7,c7  
,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( !   
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! b5*m>ks & metrics
 prescrib$ "u p>agraph 7#d74  7c7       
,expansion ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] !  
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !         
,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committees  
on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ,h\se
 ( ,repres5tatives a plan to integrate !

 s*$ul+ ( appo9tm5ts = heal? c>e furni%$
 ?r\gh heal? c>e provid]s ( ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs into ! electronic   
process "u subsection 7d7 ( section     
#agjc;,h ( su* title4 ,su* plan %all    
include ! foll[+ elem5ts3 7#a7 ,a       
timel9e to implem5t su* plan4  7#b7     
,e/imat$ co/s to c>ry out su* plan4     
7#c7 ,*anges to policies & proc$ures ( !
 ,dep>tm5t ! ,secret>y det]m9es necess>y
 to implem5t su* plan4  7d7             
,codification  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,section   
#caja ( su* ,act1 z am5d$ by subsection 
7a71 is transf]r$ to sub*apt] ,i ( *apt]
 #ag ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1  
ins]t$ aft] section #agjc;,g1 &         
r$esignat$ z section #agjc;,h4  7#b7    
,con=m+ am5dm5ts ,section #agjc;,h ( su*
 title1 z transf]r$ & r$esignat$ by ?is 
subsection1 is am5d$--  7,a7 by /rik+   
any head+ t is n a section head+ or     
subsection head+ & con=m+ ! m>g9s       
accord+ly2  7,b7 by /rik+ ( title #ch1  
,unit$ ,/ates ,code bo? places x appe>s 
& ins]t+ ( ?is title2  7,c7 9 subsection

 7b77#a71 by /rik+ ,n lat] ?an "o ye>   
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !  
,secret>y & ins]t+ ,! ,secret>y2  7,d7 9
 subsection 7c7--  7i7 9 p>agraph 7#a71 
9 ! matt] prec$+ subp>agraph 7,a71 by   
/rik+ ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y &  
ins]t+ ,! ,secret>y2 &  7ii7 9 p>agraph 
7#b71 by /rik+ subp>agraphs 7,a7 & 7,b7 
& ins]t+ ,! ,secret>y %all require ea*  
m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t to use !  
me?od or tool describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a742
  7,e7 9 ! section enum]ator1 by /rik+  
,sec4 & ins]t+ 2 &  7,f7 9 ! section    
head+--  7i7 by /rik+ ,process &        
requirem5ts = s*$ul+ appo9tm5ts = heal? 
c>e f ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs &   
non-,dep>tm5t heal? c>e4 & ins]t+       
,s*$ul+ ( appo9tm5ts2 &  7ii7 by con=m+ 
! typeface & type/yle1 includ+          
capitalization1 to ! typeface & type/yle
 us$ 9 ! section head+ ( section        
#agjc;,g ( su* title4  7#c7 ,table (    
sections ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+
 ( su* *apt] is am5d$ by ins]t+1 aft] ! 

item relat+ to section #agjc;,g1 !      
foll[+ new item3  #agjc;,h4 ,s*$ul+ (   
appo9tm5ts4  4  #c4 ,ext5sion ( c]ta9   
limits on paym5t ( p5sion ,section      
#eejc7;d77#g7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates
 ,code1 is am5d$ by /rik+ ,janu>y #ca1  
#bjcc & ins]t+ ,may #ca1 #bjcc4  ,pass$ 
! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives ,may #ai1     
#bjbf4;,cl]k4