Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a grant program to provide innovative transportation options to veterans in highly rural areas in order to assist such veterans in traveling to VA medical centers for medical care. Requires the Secretary to conduct outreach to educate veterans and their family members about the availability of such transportation.
Directs the Secretary to carry out a pilot program, at rural VA medical centers, for the implementation of electronic health record systems that allow for full interoperability of personal health care information between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the VA.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1134 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1134
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a grant
program and pilot program designed to improve the delivery of health
care to veterans residing in rural areas, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 13, 2013
Mr. Gallego introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a grant
program and pilot program designed to improve the delivery of health
care to veterans residing in rural areas, 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. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The estimated veteran population of the Nation is
22,328,000.
(2) Nearly 30 percent of veterans live in rural areas, with
younger veterans who served in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom more likely than other
veterans to live in rural areas.
(3) Veterans living in rural areas are reported to be in
poorer health than veterans living in urban areas.
(4) Veterans living in rural areas often need to travel
extremely long distances to receive medical care and the other
services to which they are entitled.
(5) The medical facilities of the Department of Veterans
Affairs include 821 community-based outpatient clinics, 300
veterans centers, and 152 hospitals.
(6) Rural veterans represent 41 percent of the total number
of veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs
patient enrollment system under section 1705 of title 38,
United States Code.
(7) A higher percentage of veterans residing in rural areas
reported having at least one disability compared with veterans
residing in urban areas.
(8) Each year more than 150,000 members of the Armed Forces
are discharged or separated from service in the Armed Forces
and transition to veteran status.
(9) Navigating the transition from the health care system
of Department of Defense to the health care system of the
Department of Veterans Affairs involves the coordination of
data and information between Department of Defense and the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
(10) It is important to develop electronic health records
that can be accessed by both the Department of Defense and the
Department of Veterans Affairs whether a patient is a member of
the Armed Forces or a veteran to ensure the greater
availability of health care information for members of the
Armed Forces and veterans.
SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION GRANTS FOR RURAL VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) Grants Authorized.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish a grant program to provide innovative transportation
options to veterans in highly rural areas.
(2) Use of funds.--Grants awarded under this section may be
used by State veterans service agencies and veterans service
organizations to--
(A) assist veterans in highly rural areas to travel
to Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; and
(B) otherwise assist in providing medical care to
veterans in highly rural areas.
(3) Maximum amount.--The amount of a grant under this
section may not exceed $50,000.
(4) No matching requirement.--The recipient of a grant
under this section may not be required to provide matching
funds as a condition for receiving such grant.
(5) Recovery of unused grant funds.--If a recipient of a
grant does not use the full amount of funds received under this
section by not later than September 30 of the fiscal year in
which such grant was awarded, the United States shall be
entitled to recover from such recipient the total of all unused
grant amounts made under this section to such recipient.
(b) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for--
(1) evaluating grant applications under this section; and
(2) otherwise administering the program established by this
section.
(c) Reports.--Not later than February 1 of each year, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report containing information related to
each grant awarded under this section during the preceding year,
including--
(1) the name of the grant recipient; and
(2) the amount of the grant.
(d) Veterans Service Organization Definition.--In this section, the
term ``veterans service organization'' means any organization
recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation
of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.
SEC. 3. OUTREACH REQUIREMENT.
(a) Outreach Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
conduct outreach, including under chapter 63 of title 38, United States
Code, to educate veterans and their family members about the
availability of transportation to assist veterans living in rural areas
in traveling to Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities,
including transportation available pursuant to a grant made under
section 2.
(b) Outreach Defined.--In this section, the term ``outreach'' shall
have the meaning given such term in section 6301(b)(1) of title 38,
United States Code.
SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH
RECORD SYSTEMS OR CAPABILITIES AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES LOCATED IN RURAL AREAS.
(a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, shall carry out a pilot
program under section 1635(f) of the National Defense Authorization Act
of Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110-181; 122 Stat. 462; 10 U.S.C. 1071
note) at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities located in
rural areas and selected by the Secretary. Such pilot program shall be
designed to--
(1) implement at such medical facilities electronic health
record systems or capabilities that allow for full
interoperability of personal health care information between
the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans
Affairs;
(2) ensure that veterans served by such medical facilities
are afforded the technological advances to improve the quality
of health care they receive;
(3) provide physicians and other personnel at such medical
facilities with access to the complete personal health care
information of members of the Armed Forces who are discharged
or released from service in the Armed Forces; and
(4) increase the accessibility, efficiency, and use of
electronic health records at such facilities to meet improved
health care needs.
(b) Selection of Medical Facilities.--The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, in cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, shall select
Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities at which to carry out
the pilot program under this section. Such facilities shall be located
in rural areas where the population rate of veterans exceeds six
percent.
(c) Reports.--Not later than April 1 of each year, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot program
under this section. Each such report shall include--
(1) an evaluation of best practices relating to furnishing
health care to veterans residing in rural areas;
(2) an evaluation of the education and training provided to
physicians and other personnel at medical facilities
participating in the pilot program; and
(3) an evaluation of the health care provided to veterans
residing in rural areas.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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