(a)
Automated system— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement, for each covered line, an automated system that—
(1)
informs any caller to a covered line about the anticipated wait time, if any; and
(2)
automatically offers a callback to any such caller with an anticipated wait time of more than 10 minutes.
(b)
Guidance regarding caller wait times— The Secretary shall issue such guidance the Secretary determines necessary to reduce the average wait time of a caller to a covered line to not more than 10 minutes.
(c)
Covered line defined— In this section, the term covered line means a customer service telephone line of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such term does not include—
(1)
the toll-free hotline for veterans provided by the Secretary under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code; or
(2)
a phone line for the emergency department of a health care facility of the Department.