..................................................................... (Original Signature of Member)
113
TH
CONGRESS 2
D
S
ESSION
H. R.
ll
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Physician Ambas-sadors Helping Veterans program to seek to employ physicians at the Department of Veterans Affairs on a without compensation basis in practice areas and specialties with staffing shortages and long appoint-ment waiting times.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. C
ULBERSON
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
llllllllllllll
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Physician Ambassadors Helping Veterans program to seek to employ physicians at the Department of Veterans Affairs on a without compensation basis in practice areas and specialties with staffing shortages and long appoint-ment waiting times.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Physician Ambas-
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sadors Helping Veterans Act’’.
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SEC. 2. PHYSICIAN AMBASSADORS HELPING VETERANS
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PROGRAM.
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(a) I
N
G
ENERAL
.—Subchapter I of chapter 74 of title
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38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec-
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tion 7405 the following new section:
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‘‘§7405A. Physician Ambassadors Helping Veterans
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program
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‘‘(a) I
N
G
ENERAL
.—The Secretary shall seek to use
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the authority under section 7405 of this title to employ
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physicians on a without compensation basis in any prac-
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tice area or speciality for which—
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‘‘(1) the average waiting time for veterans seek-
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ing an appointment with a physician in such practice
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area or specialty exceeds the waiting time goals es-
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tablished by the Department; or
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‘‘(2) the Department facility where the physi-
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cian will be employed has demonstrated staffing
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shortages, as determined by the Secretary.
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‘‘(b) V
OLUNTEER
C
OORDINATORS
.—There shall be in
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each medical facility of the Department a volunteer coordi-
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nator. The volunteer coordinator for a medical facility
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shall—
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3 ‘‘(1) seek to establish relationships with medical
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associations serving the area where the facility is lo-
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cated;
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‘‘(2) recruit physicians for employment on a
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without compensation basis in the facility; and
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‘‘(3) serve as the initial point of contact for
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physicians seeking employment on a without com-
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pensation basis in the facility.
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‘‘(c) Q
UALIFICATIONS
.—A physician employed on a
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without compensation basis shall agree, as a condition of
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being granted a credential or privilege to practice medicine
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in a facility of the Department, to commit to serving a
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minimum of 40 hours in the facility during the 12-month
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period beginning on the date on which such credential or
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privilege is granted.
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‘‘(d) C
REDENTIALING
P
ROCESS
.—(1) The Secretary
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shall ensure that each physician who seeks employment
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at the Department on a without compensation basis re-
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ceives a credential or privilege to practice medicine in the
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Department, or a decision that such a credential or privi-
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lege will not be granted, by not later than 60 days after
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the date on which the physician requests such credential
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or privilege.
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‘‘(2) The director of a medical facility of the Depart-
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ment shall approve, and accept the services of, any physi-
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