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H.R. 3951 · House bill · 119th Congress
This bill extends and expands the pilot program under which certain non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care professionals may be contracted to provide disability examinations to veterans, regardless of the jurisdiction of their licensure, for purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and care. Specifically, the bill (1) expands the types of health care professionals who may provide such examinations, and (2) extends the authority for such professionals to be contracted for this purpose through January 5, 2031.
Currently, such examinations may only be contracted to licensed non-VA physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, or psychologists. The bill expands the list to include qualified health care professionals who are eligible for appointment to specified positions in the Veterans Health Administration, including hospital or clinic directors, dentists, and pharmacists.
The VA must report on its use of the expanded authority under this bill.
This Act may be cited as the “Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025”.
(a) Expansion.— Section 504 of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–275; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note), as amended by paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of section 2002 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note), is further amended, subject to the sunset in paragraph (4) of such subsection, by striking paragraph (2) of subsection (c) and inserting the following:
“(2) Health care professional described.— A health care professional described in this paragraph is a person who is eligible for appointment to a position in the Veterans Health Administration covered by section 7402(b) of title 38, United States Code, who—
(A) has a current and unrestricted license to practice the health care profession of the health care professional;
(B) is not barred from practicing such health care profession in any State; and
(C) is performing authorized duties for the Department pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection (a).”.
(b) Delayed sunset of amendment.— Paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of section 2002 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended by striking “On the date that is five years after the date of the enactment of this Act” and inserting “On September 30, 2031”.
(c) Conforming amendment.— Paragraph (2) of such subsection is amended by striking “physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists” and inserting “health care professionals”.
(d) Report.— Not later than 15 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding the use of the authority under section 504 of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–275; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note), as temporarily amended by section 2002(a)(1) of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) and this section. Such report shall include, with respect to the one-year period after the date of the enactment of this Act, the following elements:
(1) The number of examinations conducted pursuant to a contract under such authority.
(2) The cost, timeliness, and legal adequacy of such examinations, disaggregated by—
(A) health care professional; and
(B) contract.
(3) The number of such examinations conducted in each State, the District of Columbia, or a Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
(4) The numbers of each kind of health care professionals who conducted such examinations.
(5) The number of examinations that were erroneously conducted by a health care professional—
(A) without such a contract; or
(B) unauthorized to enter into such a contract.
(6) The plan of the Secretary to correct errors in the use of such authority.