,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #fed  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,february #bj1      
#bjbe,mr4 ,moran 7for himself1 ,mrs4    
,fischer1 ,mr4 ,boozman1 and ,mr4 ,budd7
 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 establish an external 
provider scheduling program to assist   
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs in
 scheduling appointments for care and   
services under the ,veterans ,community 
,care ,program1 and for other purposes4 
#a4 ,external provider scheduling       
program of ,department of ,veterans     
,affairs  7a7 ,establishment  7#a7 ,in  
general ,subchapter ,i of chapter #ag of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended by inserting after section      
#agjc;,g the following new section3     
#agjc;,h4 ,external ,provider           
,scheduling ,program  7a7 ,in general   
,there is established within the        

,department a national ,external        
,provider ,scheduling ,program 7in this 
section referred to as the ,program7 to 
assist the ,department in scheduling    
appointments for care and services under
 the ,veterans ,community ,care ,program
 under section #agjc of this title4  7b7
 ,elements of program ,the ,program     
shall consist of technology that allows 
schedulers of the ,department to view   
the schedules of health care providers  
participating in the ,veterans          
,community ,care ,program under section 
#agjc of this title and schedule1 in    
real-time1 appointments for care and    
services under such section4  7c7 ,use  
of contracts ,the ,secretary shall carry
 out the ,program through an existing   
contract entered into by the            
,department1 if feasible1 or a new      
contract4  7d7 ,reduction in wait times 
,the ,secretary shall ensure that the   
,program-- 7#a7 reduces the time        
7measured in days7 from referral of     
veterans to health care providers under 

the ,veterans ,community ,care ,program 
under section #agjc of this title to the
 actual scheduling of appointments for  
care or services under such section2 and
  7#b7 reduces the time 7measured in    
days and hours7 for schedulers of the   
,department to schedule appointments for
 care or services under such section4   
7e7 ,annual report ,not later than      
,september #cj of each year through     
#bjbh1 the ,secretary shall submit to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of
 the ,senate and the ,committee on      
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report on the        
progress of the ,secretary in           
establishing the ,program4  4  7#b7     
,clerical amendment ,the table of       
sections at the beginning of chapter #ag
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by inserting after the item    
relating to section #agjc;,g the        
following new item3  #agjc;,h4 ,external
 ,provider ,scheduling ,program4  4  7b7
 ,availability of program ,the          

,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
ensure that the national ,external      
,provider ,scheduling ,program          
established under section #agjc;,h of   
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as    
added by subsection 7a77#a71 is         
available to all medical centers of the 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs by not
 later than ,september #cj1 #bjbe4  7c7 
,conforming amendments ,section #agjc of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended-- 7#a7 in subsection            
7a77#b77;,a71 by inserting 1 including  
pursuant to the program under section   
#agjc;,h of this title1 after medical   
appointments2 and  7#b7 in subsection   
7h77#b77;,b71 by inserting 1 including  
pursuant to the program under section   
#agjc;,h of this title before the period
 at the end4