Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act
Sponsored By: Representative Barrett
In Committee
Summary
Creates a standardized electronic scheduling process that would let VA schedulers book Veterans’ appointments with non-VA community providers and fold that workflow into VA operations. The system is designed to show care type, location, and date and to transmit referrals and authorizations directly to outside providers.
Show full summary
- Veterans: Covered Veterans would get appointments scheduled through one searchable system that tracks appointment counts, cancellations, no-shows, and compares average wait times between electronic and non-electronic scheduling. Reports to Congress begin within 90 days and continue semiannually for 3 years.
- VA staff and providers: The bill would require mandatory training for schedulers within 180 days and a full implementation deadline of 2 years. It also establishes performance benchmarks and outcome metrics to measure referral-to-appointment time and patient satisfaction.
- Non-Department providers and pension beneficiaries: The Secretary must run an outreach plan within 90 days to recruit community providers, prioritize underserved areas, and publish how providers join. The bill also extends a pension payment limit sunset from January 31, 2033 to June 30, 2033.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Electronic VA and community scheduling
If enacted, the VA would have to create an electronic scheduling system for VA and community care appointments. Schedulers would be able to find, sort, and book appointments by care type, location, and date, and send referrals and authorizations directly to non-VA providers. The Secretary would need to issue guidelines within 90 days, set performance benchmarks within 60 days, start mandatory scheduler training within 180 days, do provider outreach within 90 days, and have the system implemented within two years. The VA would report to Congress starting six months after enactment and then semiannually for three years, and must submit a 90-day plan to integrate VA facility scheduling that includes a timeline and estimated costs.
VA pension cutoff date extended
If enacted, the bill would change a date in current law so a payment limit on certain VA pensions remains in effect until June 30, 2033 instead of January 31, 2033. The change would take effect upon enactment and would extend the period during which the existing payment limitation applies to affected pension recipients.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Barrett
MI • R
Cosponsors
Budzinski
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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