§1703G — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary must send a report every quarter to the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees. The report covers referrals for outside (non-VA) health care that began at a VA medical facility during the previous quarter. For each VA facility, the report must show how long each step took: from when a VA clinician decided care was needed or a veteran asked for care until the referral was sent; from referral sent until the outside provider accepted it; from acceptance until the referral was finished; from referral finished until an appointment was scheduled; and from scheduling until the appointment happened. The Secretary can also include any other timing measures they think are needed.

Title 38, §1703G

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a quarterly report containing, with respect to referrals for non-Department health care originating from a medical facility of the Department during the quarter preceding the date of the submission of the report, a measurement of, for each such medical facility—

(1)the period of time between—

(A)the date on which a clinician employed by the Department determines that a veteran requires care, or a veteran presents to the Department requesting care, and the date on which the referral for care is sent to a non-Department health care provider;

(B)the date on which such referral is sent to a non-Department health care provider and the date on which such non-Department health care provider accepts such referral;

(C)the date on which such non-Department health care provider accepts such referral and the date on which such referral is completed;

(D)the date on which such referral is completed and the date on which an appointment with a non-Department health care provider is made; and

(E)the date on which such an appointment is made and the date on which such appointment occurs; and

(2)any other period of time that the Secretary determines necessary.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 118–210, title I, § 140(b), Jan. 2, 2025, 138 Stat. 2744, provided that: “The first report under section 1703G [38 U.S.C. 1703G], as added by this section, shall be due not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section [Jan. 2, 2025].”

§1703G Quarterly report on referrals for non-Department health care

Summary

Title 38, §1703G

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata