US Codex
Pub. L.
Notes

Title II — Health Care Administrative Matters

113th Congress · Approved Aug 7, 2014 · 128 Stat. 1754 · Lineage

TITLE II Health Care Administrative Matters

SEC. 201. Independent Assessment of the Health Care Delivery Systems and Management Processes of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(a)
Independent Assessment.—
(1)
Assessment.— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into one or more contracts with a private sector entity or entities described in subsection (b) to conduct an independent assessment of the hospital care, medical services, and other health care furnished in medical facilities of the Department. Such assessment shall address each of the following:
(A)
Current and projected demographics and unique health care needs of the patient population served by the Department.
(B)
Current and projected health care capabilities and resources of the Department, including hospital care, medical services, and other health care furnished by non-Department facilities under contract with the Department, to provide timely and accessible care to veterans.
(C)
The authorities and mechanisms under which the Secretary may furnish hospital care, medical services, and other health care at non-Department facilities, including whether the Secretary should have the authority to furnish such care and services at such facilities through the completion of episodes of care.
(D)
The appropriate system-wide access standard applicable to hospital care, medical services, and other health care furnished by and through the Department, including an identification of appropriate access standards for each individual specialty and post-care rehabilitation.
(E)
The workflow process at each medical facility of the Department for scheduling appointments for veterans to receive hospital care, medical services, or other health care from the Department.
(F)
The organization, workflow processes, and tools used by the Department to support clinical staffing, access to care, effective length-of-stay management and care transitions, positive patient experience, accurate documentation, and subsequent coding of inpatient services.
(G)
The staffing level at each medical facility of the Department and the productivity of each health care provider at such medical facility, compared with health care industry performance metrics, which may include an assessment of any of the following:
(i)
The case load of, and number of patients treated by, each health care provider at such medical facility during an average week.
(ii)
The time spent by such health care provider on matters other than the case load of such health care provider, including time spent by such health care provider as follows:
(I)
At a medical facility that is affiliated with the Department.
(II)
Conducting research.
(III)
Training or supervising other health care professionals of the Department.
(H)
The information technology strategies of the Department with respect to furnishing and managing health care, including an identification of any weaknesses and opportunities with respect to the technology used by the Department, especially those strategies with respect to clinical documentation of episodes of hospital care, medical services, and other health care, including any clinical images and associated textual reports, furnished by the Department in Department or non-Department facilities.
(I)
Business processes of the Veterans Health Administration, including processes relating to furnishing non-Department health care, insurance identification, third-party revenue collection, and vendor reimbursement, including an identification of mechanisms as follows:
(i)
To avoid the payment of penalties to vendors.
(ii)
To increase the collection of amounts owed to the Department for hospital care, medical services, or other health care provided by the Department for which reimbursement from a third party is authorized and to ensure that such amounts collected are accurate.
(iii)
To increase the collection of any other amounts owed to the Department with respect to hospital care, medical services, and other health care and to ensure that such amounts collected are accurate.
(iv)
To increase the accuracy and timeliness of Department payments to vendors and providers.
(J)
The purchasing, distribution, and use of pharmaceuticals, medical and surgical supplies, medical devices, and health care related services by the Department, including the following:
(i)
The prices paid for, standardization of, and use by the Department of the following:
(I)
Pharmaceuticals.
(II)
Medical and surgical supplies.
(III)
Medical devices.
(ii)
The use by the Department of group purchasing arrangements to purchase pharmaceuticals, medical and surgical supplies, medical devices, and health care related services.
(iii)
The strategy and systems used by the Department to distribute pharmaceuticals, medical and surgical supplies, medical devices, and health care related services to Veterans Integrated Service Networks and medical facilities of the Department.
(K)
The process of the Department for carrying out construction and maintenance projects at medical facilities of the Department and the medical facility leasing program of the Department.
(L)
The competency of leadership with respect to culture, accountability, reform readiness, leadership development, physician alignment, employee engagement, succession planning, and performance management.
(2)
Particular elements of certain assessments.—
(A)
Scheduling assessment.— In carrying out the assessment required by paragraph (1)(E), the private sector entity or entities shall do the following:
(i)
Review all training materials pertaining to scheduling of appointments at each medical facility of the Department.
(ii)
Assess whether all employees of the Department conducting tasks related to scheduling are properly trained for conducting such tasks.
(iii)
Assess whether changes in the technology or system used in scheduling appointments are necessary to limit access to the system to only those employees that have been properly trained in conducting such tasks.
(iv)
Assess whether health care providers of the Department are making changes to their schedules that hinder the ability of employees conducting such tasks to perform such tasks.
(v)
Assess whether the establishment of a centralized call center throughout the Department for scheduling appointments at medical facilities of the Department would improve the process of scheduling such appointments.
(vi)
Assess whether booking templates for each medical facility or clinic of the Department would improve the process of scheduling such appointments.
(vii)
Assess any interim technology changes or attempts by Department to internally develop a long-term scheduling solutions with respect to the feasibility and cost effectiveness of such internally developed solutions compared to commercially available solutions.
(viii)
Recommend actions, if any, to be taken by the Department to improve the process for scheduling such appointments, including the following:
(I)
Changes in training materials provided to employees of the Department with respect to conducting tasks related to scheduling such appointments.
(II)
Changes in monitoring and assessment conducted by the Department of wait times of veterans for such appointments.
(III)
Changes in the system used to schedule such appointments, including changes to improve how the Department—
(aa)
measures wait times of veterans for such appointments;
(bb)
monitors the availability of health care providers of the Department; and
(cc)
provides veterans the ability to schedule such appointments.
(IV)
Such other actions as the private sector entity or entities considers appropriate.
(B)
Medical construction and maintenance project and leasing program assessment.— In carrying out the assessment required by paragraph (1)(K), the private sector entity or entities shall do the following:
(i)
Review the process of the Department for identifying and designing proposals for construction and maintenance projects at medical facilities of the Department and leases for medical facilities of the Department.
(ii)
Assess the process through which the Department determines the following:
(I)
That a construction or maintenance project or lease is necessary with respect to a medical facility or proposed medical facility of the Department.
(II)
The proper size of such medical facility or proposed medical facility with respect to treating veterans in the catchment area of such medical facility or proposed medical facility.
(iii)
Assess the management processes of the Department with respect to the capital management programs of the Department, including processes relating to the methodology for construction and design of medical facilities of the Department, the management of projects relating to the construction and design of such facilities, and the activation of such facilities.
(iv)
Assess the medical facility leasing program of the Department.
(3)
Timing.— The private sector entity or entities carrying out the assessment required by paragraph (1) shall complete such assessment not later than 240 days after entering into the contract described in such paragraph.
(b)
Private Sector Entities Described.— A private entity described in this subsection is a private entity that—
(1)
has experience and proven outcomes in optimizing the performance of the health care delivery systems of the Veterans Health Administration and the private sector and in health care management; and
(2)
specializes in implementing large-scale organizational and cultural transformations, especially with respect to health care delivery systems.
(c)
Program Integrator.—
(1)
In general.— If the Secretary enters into contracts with more than one private sector entity under subsection (a), the Secretary shall designate one such entity that is predominately a health care organization as the program integrator.
(2)
Responsibilities.— The program integrator designated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be responsible for coordinating the outcomes of the assessments conducted by the private entities pursuant to such contracts.
(d)
Report on Assessment.—
(1)
In general.— Not later than 60 days after completing the assessment required by subsection (a), the private sector entity or entities carrying out such assessment shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Commission on Care established under section 202 a report on the findings and recommendations of the private sector entity or entities with respect to such assessment.
(2)
Publication.— Not later than 30 days after receiving the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall publish such report in the Federal Register and on an Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs that is accessible to the public.
(e)
Non-Department Facilities Defined.— In this section, the term “non-Department facilities” has the meaning given that term in section 1701 of title 38, United States Code.

SEC. 202. Commission on Care.

(a)
Establishment of Commission.—
(1)
In general.— There is established a commission, to be known as the “Commission on Care” (in this section referred to as the “Commission”), to examine the access of veterans to health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs and strategically examine how best to organize the Veterans Health Administration, locate health care resources, and deliver health care to veterans during the 20-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2)
Membership.—
(A)
Voting members.— The Commission shall be composed of 15 voting members who are appointed as follows:
(i)
Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, at least one of whom shall be a veteran.
(ii)
Three members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, at least one of whom shall be a veteran.
(iii)
Three members appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate, at least one of whom shall be a veteran.
(iv)
Three members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, at least one of whom shall be a veteran.
(v)
Three members appointed by the President, at least two of whom shall be veterans.
(B)
Qualifications.— Of the members appointed under subparagraph (A)—
(i)
at least one member shall represent an organization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code;
(ii)
at least one member shall have experience as senior management for a private integrated health care system with an annual gross revenue of more than $50,000,000;
(iii)
at least one member shall be familiar with government health care systems, including those systems of the Department of Defense, the Indian Health Service, and Federally-qualified health centers (as defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(l)(2)(B)));
(iv)
at least one member shall be familiar with the Veterans Health Administration but shall not be currently employed by the Veterans Health Administration; and
(v)
at least one member shall be familiar with medical facility construction and leasing projects carried out by government entities and have experience in the building trades, including construction, engineering, and architecture.
(C)
Date.— The appointments of members of the Commission shall be made not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(3)
Period of appointment.—
(A)
In general.— Members shall be appointed for the life of the Commission.
(B)
Vacancies.— Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(4)
Initial meeting.— Not later than 15 days after the date on which eight voting members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission shall hold its first meeting.
(5)
Meetings.— The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairperson.
(6)
Quorum.— A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
(7)
Chairperson and vice chairperson.— The President shall designate a member of the commission to serve as Chairperson of the Commission. The Commission shall select a Vice Chairperson from among its members.
(b)
Duties of Commission.—
(1)
Evaluation and assessment.— The Commission shall undertake a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of access to health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2)
Matters evaluated and assessed.— In undertaking the comprehensive evaluation and assessment required by paragraph (1), the Commission shall evaluate and assess the results of the assessment conducted by the private sector entity or entities under section 201, including any findings, data, or recommendations included in such assessment.
(3)
Reports.— The Commission shall submit to the President, through the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, reports as follows:
(A)
Not later than 90 days after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, an interim report on—
(i)
the findings of the Commission with respect to the evaluation and assessment required by this subsection; and
(ii)
such recommendations as the Commission may have for legislative or administrative action to improve access to health care through the Veterans Health Administration.
(B)
Not later than 180 days after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, a final report on—
(i)
the findings of the Commission with respect to the evaluation and assessment required by this subsection; and
(ii)
such recommendations as the Commission may have for legislative or administrative action to improve access to health care through the Veterans Health Administration.
(c)
Powers of the Commission.—
(1)
Hearings.— The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out this section.
(2)
Information from federal agencies.— The Commission may secure directly from any Federal agency such information as the Commission considers necessary to carry out this section. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of such agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
(d)
Commission Personnel Matters.—
(1)
Compensation of members.—
(A)
In general.— Each member of the Commission who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Commission.
(B)
Officers or employees of the united states.— All members of the Commission who are officers or employees of the United States shall serve without compensation in addition to that received for their services as officers or employees of the United States.
(2)
Travel expenses.— The members of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Commission.
(3)
Staff.—
(A)
In general.— The Chairperson of the Commission may, without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, appoint and terminate an executive director and such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the Commission to perform its duties. The employment of an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
(B)
Compensation.— The Chairperson of the Commission may fix the compensation of the executive director and other personnel without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive director and other personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
(4)
Detail of government employees.— Any Federal Government employee may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
(5)
Procurement of temporary and intermittent services.— The Chairperson of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
(e)
Termination of the Commission.— The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the Commission submits the report under subsection (b)(3)(B).
(f)
Funding.— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make available to the Commission from amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Secretary such amounts as the Secretary and the Chairperson of the Commission jointly consider appropriate for the Commission to perform its duties under this section.
(g)
Executive Action.—
(1)
Action on recommendations.— The President shall require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and such other heads of relevant Federal departments and agencies to implement each recommendation set forth in a report submitted under subsection (b)(3) that the President—
(A)
considers feasible and advisable; and
(B)
determines can be implemented without further legislative action.
(2)
Reports.— Not later than 60 days after the date on which the President receives a report under subsection (b)(3), the President shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and such other committees of Congress as the President considers appropriate a report setting forth the following:
(A)
An assessment of the feasibility and advisability of each recommendation contained in the report received by the President.
(B)
For each recommendation assessed as feasible and advisable under subparagraph (A) the following:
(i)
Whether such recommendation requires legislative action.
(ii)
If such recommendation requires legislative action, a recommendation concerning such legislative action.
(iii)
A description of any administrative action already taken to carry out such recommendation.
(iv)
A description of any administrative action the President intends to be taken to carry out such recommendation and by whom.

SEC. 203. Technology Task Force on Review of Scheduling System and Software of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(a)
Task Force Review.—
(1)
In general.— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, through the use of a technology task force, conduct a review of the needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to the scheduling system and scheduling software of the Department of Veterans Affairs that is used by the Department to schedule appointments for veterans for hospital care, medical services, and other health care from the Department.
(2)
Agreement.—
(A)
In general.— The Secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with a technology organization or technology organizations to carry out the review required by paragraph (1).
(B)
Prohibition on use of funds.— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be used to assist the technology organization or technology organizations under subparagraph (A) in carrying out the review required by paragraph (1).
(b)
Report.—
(1)
In general.— Not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the technology task force required under subsection (a)(1) shall submit to the Secretary, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report setting forth the findings and recommendations of the technology task force regarding the needs of the Department with respect to the scheduling system and scheduling software of the Department described in such subsection.
(2)
Elements.— The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)
Proposals for specific actions to be taken by the Department to improve the scheduling system and scheduling software of the Department described in subsection (a)(1).
(B)
A determination as to whether one or more existing off-the-shelf systems would—
(i)
meet the needs of the Department to schedule appointments for veterans for hospital care, medical services, and other health care from the Department; and
(ii)
improve the access of veterans to such care and services.
(3)
Publication.— Not later than 30 days after the receipt of the report required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall publish such report in the Federal Register and on an Internet website of the Department accessible to the public.
(c)
Implementation of Task Force Recommendations.— Not later than 1 year after the receipt of the report required by subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall implement the recommendations set forth in such report that the Secretary considers are feasible, advisable, and cost effective.

SEC. 204. Improvement of Access of Veterans to Mobile Vet Centers and Mobile Medical Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(a)
Improvement of Access.—
(1)
In general.— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall improve the access of veterans to telemedicine and other health care through the use of mobile vet centers and mobile medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs by providing standardized requirements for the operation of such centers.
(2)
Requirements.— The standardized requirements required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)
The number of days each mobile vet center and mobile medical center of the Department is expected to travel per year.
(B)
The number of locations each center is expected to visit per year.
(C)
The number of appointments each center is expected to conduct per year.
(D)
The method and timing of notifications given by each center to individuals in the area to which the center is traveling, including notifications informing veterans of the availability to schedule appointments at the center.
(3)
Use of telemedicine.— The Secretary shall ensure that each mobile vet center and mobile medical center of the Department has the capability to provide telemedicine services.
(b)
Reports.—
(1)
In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than September 30 each year thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 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 access to health care through the use of mobile vet centers and mobile medical centers of the Department that includes statistics on each of the requirements set forth in subsection (a)(2) for the year covered by the report.
(2)
Elements.— Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)
A description of the use of mobile vet centers and mobile medical centers to provide telemedicine services to veterans during the year preceding the submittal of the report, including the following:
(i)
The number of days each mobile vet center and mobile medical center was open to provide such services.
(ii)
The number of days each center traveled to a location other than the headquarters of the center to provide such services.
(iii)
The number of appointments each center conducted to provide such services on average per month and in total during such year.
(B)
An analysis of the effectiveness of using mobile vet centers and mobile medical centers to provide health care services to veterans through the use of telemedicine.
(C)
Any recommendations for an increase in the number of mobile vet centers and mobile medical centers of the Department.
(D)
Any recommendations for an increase in the telemedicine capabilities of each mobile vet center and mobile medical center.
(E)
The feasibility and advisability of using temporary health care providers, including locum tenens, to provide direct health care services to veterans at mobile vet centers and mobile medical centers.
(F)
Such other recommendations on improvement of the use of mobile vet centers and mobile medical centers by the Department as the Secretary considers appropriate.

SEC. 205. Improved Performance Metrics for Health Care Provided by Department of Veterans Affairs.

(a)
Prohibition on Use of Scheduling and Wait-Time Metrics in Determination of Performance Awards.— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that scheduling and wait-time metrics or goals are not used as factors in determining the performance of the following employees for purposes of determining whether to pay performance awards to such employees:
(1)
Directors, associate directors, assistant directors, deputy directors, chiefs of staff, and clinical leads of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2)
Directors, assistant directors, and quality management officers of Veterans Integrated Service Networks of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b)
Modification of Performance Plans.—
(1)
In general.— Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall modify the performance plans of the directors of the medical centers of the Department and the directors of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks to ensure that such plans are based on the quality of care received by veterans at the health care facilities under the jurisdictions of such directors.
(2)
Factors.— In modifying performance plans under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that assessment of the quality of care provided at health care facilities under the jurisdiction of a director described in paragraph (1) includes consideration of the following:
(A)
Recent reviews by the Joint Commission (formerly known as the “Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations”) of such facilities.
(B)
The number and nature of recommendations concerning such facilities by the Inspector General of the Department in reviews conducted through the Combined Assessment Program, in the reviews by the Inspector General of community-based outpatient clinics and primary care clinics, and in reviews conducted through the Office of Healthcare Inspections during the two most recently completed fiscal years.
(C)
The number of recommendations described in subparagraph (B) that the Inspector General of the Department determines have not been carried out satisfactorily with respect to such facilities.
(D)
Reviews of such facilities by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
(E)
The number and outcomes of administrative investigation boards, root cause analyses, and peer reviews conducted at such facilities during the fiscal year for which the assessment is being conducted.
(F)
The effectiveness of any remedial actions or plans resulting from any Inspector General recommendations in the reviews and analyses described in subparagraphs (A) through (E).
(3)
Additional leadership positions.— To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall assess the performance of other employees of the Department in leadership positions at Department medical centers, including associate directors, assistant directors, deputy directors, chiefs of staff, and clinical leads, and in Veterans Integrated Service Networks, including assistant directors and quality management officers, using factors and criteria similar to those used in the performance plans modified under paragraph (1).
(c)
Removal of Certain Performance Goals.— For each fiscal year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall not include in the performance goals of any employee of a Veterans Integrated Service Network or medical center of the Department any performance goal that might disincentivize the payment of Department amounts to provide hospital care, medical services, or other health care through a non-Department provider.

SEC. 206. Improved Transparency Concerning Health Care Provided by Department of Veterans Affairs.

(a)
Publication of Wait Times.— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall publish in the Federal Register, and on a publicly accessible Internet website of each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the wait-times for the scheduling of an appointment in each Department facility by a veteran for the receipt of primary care, specialty care, and hospital care and medical services based on the general severity of the condition of the veteran. Whenever the wait-times for the scheduling of such an appointment changes, the Secretary shall publish the revised wait-times—
(1)
on a publicly accessible Internet website of each medical center of the Department by not later than 30 days after such change; and
(2)
in the Federal Register by not later than 90 days after such change.
(b)
Publicly Available Database of Patient Safety, Quality of Care, and Outcome Measures.—
(1)
In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop and make available to the public a comprehensive database containing all applicable patient safety, quality of care, and outcome measures for health care provided by the Department that are tracked by the Secretary.
(2)
Update frequency.— The Secretary shall update the database required by paragraph (1) not less frequently than once each year.
(3)
Unavailable measures.— For all measures that the Secretary would otherwise publish in the database required by paragraph (1) but has not done so because such measures are not available, the Secretary shall publish notice in the database of the reason for such unavailability and a timeline for making such measures available in the database.
(4)
Accessibility.— The Secretary shall ensure that the database required by paragraph (1) is accessible to the public through the primary Internet website of the Department and through each primary Internet website of a Department medical center.
(c)
Hospital Compare Website of Department of Health and Human Services.—
(1)
Agreement required.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services for the provision by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of such information as the Secretary of Health and Human Services may require to report and make publicly available patient quality and outcome information concerning Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers through the Hospital Compare Internet website of the Department of Health and Human Services or any successor Internet website.
(2)
Information provided.— The information provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Secretary of Health and Human Services under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)
Measures of timely and effective health care.
(B)
Measures of readmissions, complications of death, including with respect to 30-day mortality rates and 30-day readmission rates, surgical complication measures, and health care related infection measures.
(C)
Survey data of patient experiences, including the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems or any similar successor survey developed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
(D)
Any other measures required of or reported with respect to hospitals participating in the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.).
(3)
Unavailable information.— For any applicable metric collected by the Department of Veterans Affairs or required to be provided under paragraph (2) and withheld from or unavailable in the Hospital Compare Internet website or any successor Internet website, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall publish a notice on such Internet website stating the reason why such metric was withheld from public disclosure and a timeline for making such metric available, if applicable.
(d)
Comptroller General Review of Publicly Available Safety and Quality Metrics.— Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the safety and quality metrics made publicly available by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under this section to assess the degree to which the Secretary is complying with the provisions of this section.

SEC. 207. Information for Veterans on the Credentials of Department of Veterans Affairs Physicians.

(a)
Improvement of “Our Doctors” Internet Website Links.—
(1)
Availability through department of veterans affairs homepage.— A link to the “Our Doctors” health care providers database of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any successor database, shall be available on and through the homepage of the Internet website of the Department that is accessible to the public.
(2)
Information on location of residency training.— The Internet website of the Department that is accessible to the public shall include under the link to the “Our Doctors” health care providers database of the Department, or any successor database, the name of the facility at which each licensed physician of the Department underwent residency training.
(3)
Information on physicians at particular facilities.— The “Our Doctors” health care providers database of the Department, or any successor database, shall identify whether each licensed physician of the Department is a physician in residency.
(b)
Information on Credentials of Physicians for Veterans Undergoing Surgical Procedures.—
(1)
In general.— Each veteran who is undergoing a surgical procedure by or through the Department shall be provided information described in paragraph (2) with respect to the surgeon to be performing such procedure at such time in advance of the procedure as is appropriate to permit such veteran to evaluate such information.
(2)
Information described.— The information described in this paragraph with respect to a surgeon described in paragraph (1) is as follows:
(A)
The education and training of the surgeon.
(B)
The licensure, registration, and certification of the surgeon by the State or national entity responsible for such licensure, registration, or certification.
(3)
Other individuals.— If a veteran is unable to evaluate the information provided under paragraph (1) due to the health or mental competence of the veteran, such information shall be provided to an individual acting on behalf of the veteran.
(c)
Comptroller General Report and Plan.—
(1)
Report.— Not later than 2 years 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 a report setting forth an assessment by the Comptroller General of the following:
(A)
The manner in which contractors under the Patient-Centered Community Care initiative of the Department perform oversight of the credentials of physicians within the networks of such contractors under the initiative.
(B)
The oversight by the Department of the contracts under the Patient-Centered Community Care initiative.
(C)
The verification by the Department of the credentials and licenses of health care providers furnishing hospital care and medical services under section 101.
(2)
Plan.—
(A)
In general.— Not later than 30 days after the submittal of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Comptroller General, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan to address any findings and recommendations of the Comptroller General included in such report.
(B)
Implementation.— Not later than 90 days after the submittal of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall carry out such plan.

SEC. 208. Information in Annual Budget of the President on Hospital Care and Medical Services Furnished Through Expanded Use of Contracts for Such Care.

The materials on the Department of Veterans Affairs in the budget of the President for a fiscal year, as submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, shall set forth the following:
(1)
The number of veterans who received hospital care and medical services under section 101 during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which such budget is submitted.
(2)
The amount expended by the Department on furnishing care and services under such section during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which such budget is submitted.
(3)
The amount requested in such budget for the costs of furnishing care and services under such section during the fiscal year covered by such budget, set forth in aggregate and by amounts for each account for which amounts are so requested.
(4)
The number of veterans that the Department estimates will receive hospital care and medical services under such section during the fiscal years covered by the budget submission.
(5)
The number of employees of the Department on paid administrative leave at any point during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which such budget is submitted.

SEC. 209. Prohibition on Falsification of Data Concerning Wait Times and Quality Measures at Department of Veterans Affairs.

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and in accordance with title 5, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish policies whereby any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who knowingly submits false data concerning wait times for health care or quality measures with respect to health care to another employee of the Department or knowingly requires another employee of the Department to submit false data concerning such wait times or quality measures to another employee of the Department is subject to a penalty the Secretary considers appropriate after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, including civil penalties, unpaid suspensions, or termination.