To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve access to medical services for veterans seeking treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinics with exceptionally long waiting periods.

January 8, 2003

Mr. DUNCAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve access to medical services for veterans seeking treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinics with exceptionally long waiting periods.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Veterans Outpatient Care Access Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. ACCESS TO MEDICAL SERVICES FOR VETERANS SEEKING TREATMENT AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CLINICS WITH EXCEPTIONALLY LONG WAITING PERIODS.

(a) ACCESS TO CARE- Section 1710 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(i) In the case of an outpatient clinic of the Department at which the waiting period for treatment of patients is six months or longer, the Secretary shall, for any veteran seeking medical services at that clinic who is informed by the clinic that the veteran will have such a waiting period, provide for the provision of needed medical services for that veteran from sources outside the Department. Provision of such services shall be under the same terms and conditions with respect to eligibilty and copayments (if any) as apply if such services were provided directly by the Secretary through the clinic. The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as necessary to carry out this subsection.'.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- Subsection (i) of section 1710 of title 38, United States Code, shall take effect at the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.

END