Veteran's Choice Accountability Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to evaluate VA programs that furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to ensure that the most intensively used specialized care programs are maintained as centers of excellence. The bill also requires the VA to submit an evaluation of the VA's implementation of the VA Budget and Choice Improvement Act.
Impact
The implementation of HB554 could lead to critical adjustments in how the VA conducts its medical services and care evaluations. By mandating a thorough review of existing healthcare programs, the bill could drive improvements in service delivery, particularly in areas that have previously shown shortcomings. The requirement for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit an evaluation of the implementation of the VA Budget and Choice Improvement Act points towards a commitment to ensuring effective oversight and accountability within the agency.
Summary
House Bill 554, titled the 'Veteran's Choice Accountability Act', aims to enhance the healthcare services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to veterans. A significant focus of the bill is to evaluate the effectiveness of various healthcare programs currently offered by the VA, ensuring that those programs that are widely utilized become recognized centers of excellence. By assessing the specialized care options available, the bill seeks to improve the overall quality of healthcare accessible to veterans.
Contention
While the bill aims for a positive outcome for veteran healthcare, there could be potential concerns about the resources required for its implementation. Critics may argue that such evaluations and the push for specialized care centers could drain resources or complicate existing systems within the VA. Moreover, there may be apprehensions regarding how the effectiveness of these programs will be defined and measured, which could lead to differing opinions on the bill's success and its ability to truly meet veterans' needs.
VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that when a veteran enrolled in the VA health care system contacts the VA by telephone to schedule an appointment for care or services at a VA facility, the scheduling for the appointment occurs during that telephone call.
Gerald's Law Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide a burial and funeral allowance for a veteran who dies from a non-service-connected disability in a home or other setting at which the veteran was receiving VA hospice care (if such care was directly preceded by VA hospital or nursing home care).
Veterans' True Choice Act of 2023 This bill allows covered veterans to receive coverage under TRICARE Select, a health care program of the Department of Defense (DOD). Veterans covered by this bill include those with service-connected disabilities, former prisoners of war, Purple Heart recipients, Medal of Honor recipients, those discharged from service due to disability, and those entitled to disability compensation. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must reimburse DOD's costs of enrolling eligible veteran beneficiaries in the program. A covered veteran may not concurrently receive medical care from DOD and the VA.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week per year as Battle Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.
A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Be Ready to Assist Veterans in Extremis Act or the BRAVE Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a patient outreach system under which it must ensure that veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have experienced a traumatic or highly stressful event may elect to receive information and resources relating to mental health and available mental health care services. The VA must coordinate the system with the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense.
Return Home to Housing Act This bill increases the maximum rate of per diem payments provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to entities (i.e., grant recipients or authorized entities) that furnish services and transitional housing to homeless veterans. The bill also specifies that the VA may adjust the per diem rate in response to an emergency.