Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act”.
Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement a pilot program to furnish hyperbaric oxygen therapy to certain veterans through community care providers, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Pilot program to furnish hyperbaric oxygen therapy to a veteran with traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder
Establishment— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement a pilot program to furnish HBOT to a veteran who has a traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder through a health care provider described in section 1703(c)(5) of title 38, United States Code (in this section referred to as the “pilot program”).
Locations— The Secretary shall select two Veterans Integrated Service Networks of the Department of Veterans Affairs in which to operate the pilot program.
Accreditation required— The Secretary shall ensure that any medical facility at which a veteran receives HBOT under the pilot program is accredited by—
the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations;
the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society; or
another appropriate organization that has expertise and objectivity comparable to that of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations or the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society.
Funding—
In general— There is in the general fund of the Treasury a fund to be known as the “VA HBOT Fund” (in this section referred to as the “Fund”).
Sole source of funds— The sole source of amounts deposited into the Fund shall be donations received by the Secretary for the express purpose of providing HBOT under the pilot program.
Availability— Amounts in the Fund shall be available to the Secretary without fiscal year limitation to pay for HBOT under the pilot program.
Termination— The pilot program and the Fund shall terminate on the day that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
HBOT defined— In this section, the term HBOT means hyperbaric oxygen therapy provided to a patient with a medical device—
approved by the Food and Drug Administration; or
issued an investigational device exemption by the Food and Drug Administration.
Sec. 3 Comptroller General report on use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder
In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives an update to the report of the Comptroller General published on December 18, 2015, and titled “Research on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” (GAO–16–154).
Elements— The update required under subsection (a) shall include an assessment by the Comptroller General of clinical trials conducted since the publication of the report specified in such subsection—
regarding the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder; and
by—
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
the Secretary of Defense; and
private entities.
Sec. 4 Extension of certain limits on payments of pension
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “November 30, 2031” and inserting “October 30, 2034”.