Veterans' Health and Radiation Safety Act

Veterans' Health and Radiation Safety Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to to report annually to Congress on the low-volume (treating 100 patients or fewer) programs at each medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Directs the Secretary to ensure that all employees at a VA hospital where radioactive isotopes are used in the administration of medical services receive appropriate training on what constitutes a medical event and when and to whom a medical event should be reported. Prohibits such isotopes from being used at a VA hospital where such training is not provided.

Requires the Secretary to carry out specified evaluations and peer reviews of all medical services provided under contract with a non-government entity.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4062 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4062

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in 
the administration of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans 
                    Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 7, 2009

Mr. Adler of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Hall of New York, Mr. Fattah, 
  Ms. Schwartz, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Sestak, and Mr. Walz) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in 
the administration of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans 
                    Affairs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Health and Radiation 
Safety Act''.

SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT ON LOW VOLUME PROGRAMS AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES.

    (a) Annual Report.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 7330B. Annual report on low volume programs
    ``(a) Annual Report Required.--The Secretary shall submit to 
Congress an annual report on the low volume programs at each medical 
facility of the Department. Each such report shall contain the 
evaluation and the findings of the Secretary with respect to such 
programs.
    ``(b) Low Volume Program Defined.--For purposes of this section, 
the term `low volume program' means a program that treats 100 patients 
or fewer during a calendar year.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
7330A the following new item:

``7330B. Annual report on low volume programs.''.

SEC. 3. USE OF RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              HOSPITALS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38, United 
States Code, as amended by section 1, is further amended by adding at 
the end the following new section:
``Sec. 7330C. Use of radioactive isotopes
    ``(a) Training Required.--The Secretary shall ensure that all 
employees, including employees employed under a contract entered into 
with a non-government entity, who are employed at a Department hospital 
where radioactive isotopes are used in the administration of medical 
services receive appropriate training on what constitutes a medical 
event and when and to whom a medical event should be reported.
    ``(b) Failure to Provide Training.--If the Secretary determines 
that any Department hospital has failed to provide the training 
required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that 
radioactive isotopes are not used at that hospital for such period as 
the Secretary determines is appropriate.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter, as amended by section 1, is further amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 7330B the following new item:

``7330C. Use of radioactive isotopes.''.

SEC. 4. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CONTRACTS FOR THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL 
              SERVICES.

    (a) Evaluation of Contractors.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall carry out the following evaluations of all medical services 
provided pursuant to a contract entered into by the Secretary with a 
non-government entity:
            (1) Weekly independent peer reviews of such services.
            (2) Written evaluations of the services carried out by the 
        supervisor or manager of the employee providing the services.
            (3) Such other evaluations as the Secretary determines are 
        appropriate.
    (b) Requirements Relating to Extension of Certain Contracts.--
Before any contracting officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
may extend or renew any contract entered into by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs and a non-government entity for the provision of 
medical services, the contracting officer shall review and take into 
consideration the results of the evaluations carried out under 
subsection (a).
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