Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare Act

“7415. Traveling physicians

“(a) Assignment

“(1) In general—The Secretary may assign a physician appointed under section 7401 of this title to serve as a traveling physician for a period of not more than one year at a time.

“(2) Locations—A physician assigned to serve as a traveling physician under this section may be assigned to provide health care to veterans residing in American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, or any other territory or possession of the United States at facilities of the Department or other approved facilities located in such territory or possession.

“(3) Multiple physicians—The Secretary may assign multiple physicians to serve as traveling physicians under this section and may assign each such physician to serve in a specific territory or possession.

“(b) Coordination of care—In providing care under this section, traveling physicians shall coordinate with non-Department medical providers to the extent practicable and necessary to ensure high quality and coordinated care for veterans receiving hospital care and medical services (as those terms are defined in section 1701 of this title).

“(c) Pay

“(1) In general—In addition to pay under section 7431 of this title, the Secretary shall provide a relocation or retention bonus to traveling physicians under this section.

“(2) Nature of bonus—The relocation or retention bonus provided under paragraph (1) shall be substantially similar to a relocation or retention bonus offered under section 7410(a) of this title, as the Secretary considers appropriate.”