II
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION S. 654
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider
scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in
scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Com-
munity Care Program, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY20, 2025
Mr. M
ORAN(for himself, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. BOOZMAN, and Mr. BUDD) intro-
duced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an
external provider scheduling program to assist the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments
for care and services under the Veterans Community
Care Program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. EXTERNAL PROVIDER SCHEDULING PROGRAM 3
OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 4
(a) E
STABLISHMENT.— 5
(1) I
N GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 6
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by in-7
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•S 654 IS
serting after section 1703G the following new sec-1
tion: 2
‘‘§ 1703H. External Provider Scheduling Program 3
‘‘(a) I
NGENERAL.—There is established within the 4
Department a national External Provider Scheduling Pro-5
gram (in this section referred to as the ‘Program’) to as-6
sist the Department in scheduling appointments for care 7
and services under the Veterans Community Care Pro-8
gram under section 1703 of this title. 9
‘‘(b) E
LEMENTS OFPROGRAM.—The Program shall 10
consist of technology that allows schedulers of the Depart-11
ment to view the schedules of health care providers partici-12
pating in the Veterans Community Care Program under 13
section 1703 of this title and schedule, in real-time, ap-14
pointments for care and services under such section. 15
‘‘(c) U
SE OFCONTRACTS.—The Secretary shall carry 16
out the Program through an existing contract entered into 17
by the Department, if feasible, or a new contract. 18
‘‘(d) R
EDUCTION INWAITTIMES.—The Secretary 19
shall ensure that the Program— 20
‘‘(1) reduces the time (measured in days) from 21
referral of veterans to health care providers under 22
the Veterans Community Care Program under sec-23
tion 1703 of this title to the actual scheduling of ap-24
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•S 654 IS
pointments for care or services under such section; 1
and 2
‘‘(2) reduces the time (measured in days and 3
hours) for schedulers of the Department to schedule 4
appointments for care or services under such section. 5
‘‘(e) A
NNUALREPORT.—Not later than September 6
30 of each year through 2028, the Secretary shall submit 7
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 8
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-9
resentatives a report on the progress of the Secretary in 10
establishing the Program.’’. 11
(2) C
LERICAL AMENDMENT .—The table of sec-12
tions at the beginning of chapter 17 of title 38, 13
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 14
the item relating to section 1703G the following new 15
item: 16
‘‘1703H. External Provider Scheduling Program.’’.
(b) AVAILABILITY OFPROGRAM.—The Secretary of 17
Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the national External 18
Provider Scheduling Program established under section 19
1703H of title 38, United States Code, as added by sub-20
section (a)(1), is available to all medical centers of the 21
Department of Veterans Affairs by not later than Sep-22
tember 30, 2025. 23
(c) C
ONFORMINGAMENDMENTS.—Section 1703 of 24
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 25
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(1) in subsection (a)(2)(A), by inserting ‘‘, in-1
cluding pursuant to the program under section 2
1703H of this title,’’ after ‘‘medical appointments’’; 3
and 4
(2) in subsection (h)(2)(B), by inserting ‘‘, in-5
cluding pursuant to the program under section 6
1703H of this title’’ before the period at the end. 7
Æ
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