Ask Veterans Act

Ask Veterans Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with an experienced non-government entity to conduct an annual survey, over a five-year period, of a statistically significant sample of veterans who reside in the geographic area served by each VA medical facility to determine the experiences of such veterans in obtaining hospital care and medical services at such facility.

Requires those surveys to include questions relating to:

• the veteran's ability to obtain hospital care and medical services at the facility in a timely manner,
• the time that expires between the date the veteran requests an appointment and the date on which the appointment is scheduled,
• the frequency with which scheduled appointments are cancelled, and
• the quality of hospital care or medical services the veteran receives.

Requires the non-government entity to consult with veterans service organizations in designing and conducting the surveys.

Prohibits the non-government entity from conducting a survey before the Comptroller General (GAO) certifies the survey as scientifically valid and the proposed sample size of veterans as statistically significant.

Directs the Secretary to make the results of the surveys publicly available on the VA's Internet website.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4971 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4971

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct annual surveys 
of veterans on experiences obtaining hospital care and medical services 
from medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2014

 Mr. O'Rourke (for himself, Mr. Flores, Ms. Gabbard, Mr. Horsford, Mr. 
     Israel, Mr. Jolly, Mr. Michaud, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Swalwell of 
  California, Ms. Hanabusa, Ms. Hahn, and Mr. Thompson of California) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct annual surveys 
of veterans on experiences obtaining hospital care and medical services 
from 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 ``Ask Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. SURVEY OF VETERAN EXPERIENCES WITH DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS MEDICAL CARE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to 
enter into a contract with a non-government entity with significant 
experience conducting scientifically verifiable surveys and research to 
conduct an annual survey of a statistically significant sample of 
veterans who reside in the geographic area served by each of the 
medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine 
the nature of the experiences of such veterans in obtaining hospital 
care and medical services furnished by the Secretary at each such 
medical facility. Each such survey shall be conducted using scientific 
and verifiable methods. Such contract shall provide that the non-
government entity shall conduct such annual surveys during the five-
year period beginning on the date on which the Secretary enters into 
the contract with the non-government entity.
    (b) Contents.--The contract entered into under subsection (a) shall 
provide that each survey conducted pursuant to the contract shall be 
specific to a medical facility of the Department and shall include 
questions relating to the experiences of veterans in requesting and 
receiving appointments for hospital care and medical services furnished 
by the Secretary at that medical facility, including questions relating 
to each of the following:
            (1) The veteran's ability to obtain hospital care and 
        medical services at the facility in a timely manner.
            (2) The period of time between the date on which the 
        veteran requests an appointment at the facility and the date on 
        which the appointment is scheduled.
            (3) The frequency with which scheduled appointments are 
        cancelled by the facility.
            (4) The quality of hospital care or medical services the 
        veteran has received at the facility.
    (c) Consultation.--The contract entered into under subsection (a) 
shall provide that in designing and conducting the surveys for each 
medical facility of the Department pursuant to such contract, the non-
government entity shall consult with veterans service organizations.
    (d) Certification.--The contract entered into under subsection (a) 
shall provide that--
            (1) before conducting a survey pursuant to the contract, 
        the non-government entity shall submit the proposed survey to 
        the Comptroller General who shall assess whether the survey is 
        scientifically valid and whether the proposed sample size of 
        veterans to be surveyed is statistically significant; and
            (2) the non-government entity may not conduct such a survey 
        until the Comptroller General provides such a certification for 
        the survey.
    (e) Submittal of Results and Public Availability of Information.--
Not later than 30 days after the completion of the surveys conducted 
pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection (a) for a year, 
the Secretary shall make the results of the surveys publicly available 
on the Internet website of the Department.
    (f) Paperwork Reduction.--Subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, 
United States Code shall not apply to this section.
    (g) Deadline for Implementation.--The Secretary shall enter into a 
contract under subsection (a) for each medical facility of the 
Department by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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