§1706A — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

Require the Secretary to send Congress an assessment and a plan within 30 days after finding that a VA medical service line is not meeting the Secretary’s quality standards. The assessment must explain why the problem happened and list specific actions with deadlines to fix it. Actions may include adding staff or temporary mobile teams, special hiring incentives (including the Education Debt Reduction Program under subchapter VII of chapter 76 and recruitment/relocation/retention pay), using direct hiring authority, improving staff training, buying better equipment, changing the facility, and other steps the Secretary finds appropriate. The Secretary must name who at the Veterans Health Administration Central Office, the local facility, and the related Veterans Integrated Service Network central office will oversee fixes. Within 180 days the Secretary must report to Congress on progress and any extra help planned. At least once each year the Secretary must give Congress and post online an analysis of the remediation actions, their costs, and progress toward meeting the Secretary’s quality and timeliness standards.

Title 38, §1706A

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 30 days after determining under section 1703(e)(1) of this title that a medical service line of the Department is providing hospital care, medical services, or extended care services that does not comply with the standards for quality established by the Secretary, the Secretary shall submit to Congress an assessment of the factors that led the Secretary to make such determination and a plan with specific actions, and the time to complete them, to be taken to comply with such standards for quality, including the following:

(1)Increasing personnel or temporary personnel assistance, including mobile deployment teams.

(2)Special hiring incentives, including the Education Debt Reduction Program under subchapter VII of chapter 76 of this title and recruitment, relocation, and retention incentives.

(3)Utilizing direct hiring authority.

(4)Providing improved training opportunities for staff.

(5)Acquiring improved equipment.

(6)Making structural modifications to the facility used by the medical service line.

(7)Such other actions as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(b)In each assessment submitted under subsection (a) with respect to a medical service line, the Secretary shall identify the individuals at the Central Office of the Veterans Health Administration, the facility used by the medical service line, and the central office of the relevant Veterans Integrated Service Network who are responsible for overseeing the progress of that medical service line in complying with the standards for quality established by the Secretary.

(c)Not later than 180 days after submitting an assessment under subsection (a) with respect to a medical service line, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the progress of that medical service line in complying with the standards for quality established by the Secretary and any other measures the Secretary will take to assist the medical service line in complying with such standards for quality.

(d)Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall—

(1)submit to Congress an analysis of the remediation actions and costs of such actions taken with respect to each medical service line with respect to which the Secretary submitted an assessment and plan under subsection (a) in the preceding year, including an update on the progress of each such medical service line in complying with the standards for quality and timeliness established by the Secretary and any other actions the Secretary is undertaking to assist the medical service line in complying with standards for quality as established by the Secretary; and

(2)publish such analysis on the internet website of the Department.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–251, § 211(a)(6)(A), inserted “of this title” after “section 1703(e)(1)” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 115–251, § 211(a)(6)(B), substituted “subsection (a)” for “paragraph (1)”.

§1706A Remediation of Medical Service Lines

Summary

Title 38, §1706A

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata