,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #cecb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,decemb] #ag1 #bjbe,mr4
 ,crapo 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,k+1 ,mr4      
,ris*1 ,mr4 ,lee1 ,mrs4 ,blackburn1 ,mr4
 ,ju/ice1 & ,mr4 ,%eehy7 introduc$ !    
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,f9ance  ,a ,,bill   
,to am5d titles ,,xviii & ,,xix ( !     
,social ,security ,act to /reaml9e !    
c]tification process = ,/ate ,vet]ans   
,homes by all[+ c]ta9 facilities c]tifi$
 by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to  
be deem$ 9 compliance ) specifi$ ,m$ic>e
 & ,m$icaid requirem5ts1 & = o!r        
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,/ate ,vet]ans ,homes      
,inspection ,simplification ,act4  #b4  
,deem+ ( ,/ate ,vet]ans ,homes c]tifi$  
by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs z    
meet+ ,m$ic>e conditions ( p>ticipation 
7a7 ,m$ic>e deem+ au?ority ,section     
#ahai ( ! ,social ,security ,act 7#db   
,u4,s4,c4 #acie;i-#c7 is am5d$ by add+  
at ! end ! foll[+ new subsection3  7l7  

,special ,rule = ,/ate ,vet]ans ,homes  
7#a7 ,deem$ compliance  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,a
 ,/ate home 7z def9$ 9 section #aja (   
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code7 t is    
inspect$ & c]tifi$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs 79 ?is subsection     
ref]r$ to z ! ,,va7 9 accordance ) /&>ds
 approv$ by ! ,secret>y %all be deem$ to
 meet ! requirem5ts ( subsections 7b7   
?r\gh 7i7 ( ?is section if ! ,secret>y  
det]m9es t ! foll[+ requirem5ts are met3
 7i7 ,! ,,va provides ! ,secret>y1 ^u   
reque/1 ) docum5tation ( inspection &   
c]tification1 includ+ survey f9d+s1     
/atem5ts ( defici5cies1 & relat$        
corrective actions4  7ii7 ,n less ?an   
once e #b ye>s1 ! ,,va submits its ,/ate
 home survey /&>ds & inspection         
proc$ures = jo9t review ) ! ,c5t]s =    
,m$ic>e  ,m$icaid ,s]vices to confirm   
cont9u$ alignm5t ) ,m$ic>e ,conditions (
 ,p>ticipation1 includ+ ov]sight        
me?odologies4  7,b7 ,requirem5ts =      
approval ( /&>ds ,9 approv+ /&>ds "u    
subp>agraph 7,a71 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7i7

 consult ) ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs2 &  7ii7 ensure t ! inspection 
& c]tification process us$ by ! ,,va1   
includ+ bo? /&>ds & en=cem5t practices--
 7,i7 includes1 z a m9imum1 ! survey    
protocols & en=cem5t expectations ( !   
,c5t]s = ,m$ic>e  ,m$icaid ,s]vices2 &  
7,,ii7 upholds1 at a m9imum1 ! same     
/&>ds ( resid5t c>e1 safety1 transp>5cy1
 & acc\ntability requir$ "u ?is section4
  7#b7 ,ov]sight & en=cem5t ,no?+ 9     
p>agraph 7#a7 %all preclude ! ,secret>y 
f do+ any ( ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,conduct+    
compla9t inve/igations or t>get$ surveys
 ( any ,/ate home4  7,b7 ,impos+ rem$ies
 "u subsection 7h71 includ+ civil       
monet>y p5alties or t]m9ation (         
p>ticipation "u ?is title4  7,c7 ,revok+
 deem$ /atus "u p>agraph 7#a7 if ! ,,va 
c]tification process is f\nd to be      
inconsi/5t ) ,f$]al /&>ds ( transp>5cy1 
data quality1 or en=cem5t4  7#c7 ,public
 report+ ,survey & c]tification data f  
,,va inspections deem$ valid "u ?is     
subsection %all be report$ publicly     

?r\gh ! ,nurs+ ,home ,c>e ,comp>e       
website "u subsection 7i7 or ano!r      
publicly accessible plat=m 9 a =mat     
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y1 9 consultation )
 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  4    
7b7 ,m$icaid con=m+ am5dm5t ,section    
#aiai ( ! ,social ,security ,act 7#db   
,u4,s4,c4 #acifr7 is am5d$ by add+ at ! 
end ! foll[+ new subsection3  7l7       
,special rule = ,/ate vet]ans homes ,!  
provisions ( section #ahai7l7 %all apply
 ) respect to a nurs+ facility t is a   
,/ate home 7z def9$ 9 section #aja (    
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code7 & t is  
inspect$ & c]tifi$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs 9 ! same mann] & to ! 
same ext5t z su* provisions apply "u    
title ,,xviii4  4  7c7 ,effective date  
,! am5dm5ts made by ?is section %all    
take effect on ! date t is #ij days aft]
 ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  #c4     
,alignm5t ( data = public report+  7a7  
,,va survey data on nurs+ home c>e      
comp>e ,! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human   
,s]vices %all coord9ate ) ! ,secret>y ( 

,vet]ans ,affairs to ensure t inspection
 f9d+s1 defici5cy /atem5ts1 & quality   
metrics f ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans          
,affairs-c]tifi$ ,/ate homes 7z def9$ 9 
section #aja ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates 
,code7 are incorporat$ into ! ,nurs+    
,home ,c>e ,comp>e website 7or a        
successor website71 to ! ext5t feasible 
& consi/5t ) section #ahai7;g77#e7 ( !  
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#acie;i-#c7;g77#e774  7b7 ,h>monization 
( survey processes ,n lat] ?an #ahj days
 aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is section1 !
 ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1 9
 consultation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans  
,affairs1 %all issue guidance to align  
c]tification & data report+ processes to
 ensure consi/5cy & transp>5cy 9 !      
public report+ ( quality & compliance   
in=mation = ,/ate homes 7z s def9$74