Bill Summary
This bill, titled the "Ensuring Quality Care for Our Veterans Act," requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to work with a third party organization to review appointees in the Veterans Health Administration who have had their license terminated for cause by a State licensing board for care or services provided at a non-Veterans Health Administration facility. If it is determined that the care or services provided by these appointees were below the standard of care, the Secretary must notify the individuals who received the care or services. The bill also includes definitions for terms such as "covered provider" and "hospital care or medical services."
Possible Impacts
1. The Ensuring Quality Care for Our Veterans Act could potentially affect veterans who have received care or services from a covered provider with a terminated license. They may receive notice if it is determined that the care they received was below the standard of care.
2. The legislation could also impact covered providers who have had their license terminated for cause by a State licensing board. They may face stricter requirements and third-party reviews of their care.
3. Individuals who are licensed in the same specialty as a covered provider may see an increase in demand for their services, as they may be hired to conduct clinical reviews under this legislation.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4858 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4858
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a contract
or other agreement with a third party to review appointees in the
Veterans Health Administration who had a license terminated for cause
by a State licensing board for care or services rendered at a non-
Veterans Health Administration facility and to provide individuals
treated by such an appointee with notice if it is determined that an
episode of care or services to which they received was below the
standard of care, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 24, 2019
Mr. Norman (for himself and Mr. Hudson) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a contract
or other agreement with a third party to review appointees in the
Veterans Health Administration who had a license terminated for cause
by a State licensing board for care or services rendered at a non-
Veterans Health Administration facility and to provide individuals
treated by such an appointee with notice if it is determined that an
episode of care or services to which they received was below the
standard of care, and for other purposes.
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 ``Ensuring Quality Care for Our
Veterans Act''.
SEC. 2. THIRD-PARTY REVIEW OF APPOINTEES IN VETERANS HEALTH
ADMINISTRATION WHO HAD A LICENSE TERMINATED FOR CAUSE AND
NOTICE TO INDIVIDUALS TREATED BY THOSE APPOINTEES IF
DETERMINED THAT AN EPISODE OF CARE OR SERVICES TO WHICH
THEY RECEIVED WAS BELOW THE STANDARD OF CARE.
(a) Third-Party Review.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall enter into a contract or other agreement with an
organization that is not part of the Federal Government to
conduct a clinical review for quality management of hospital
care or medical services furnished by covered providers.
(2) Qualifications.--The Secretary shall ensure that each
review of a covered provider under this subsection is performed
by an individual who is licensed in the same specialty as the
covered provider.
(b) Notice to Patients Treated by Covered Providers.--With respect
to hospital care or medical services furnished by a covered provider
under the laws administered by the Secretary, if a clinical review for
quality management under subsection (a) determines that the standard of
care was not met during an episode of care, the Secretary shall notify
the individual who received such care or services from the covered
provider as described in applicable policy of the Veterans Heath
Administration.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered provider.--The term ``covered provider'' means
an individual who--
(A) was appointed to the Veterans Health
Administration under section 7401 of title 38, United
States Code; and
(B) had a license terminated for cause by a State
licensing board for hospital care or medical services
provided in a facility that is not a facility of the
Veterans Health Administration.
(2) Hospital care or medical services.--The terms
``hospital care'' and ``medical services'' have the meanings
given those terms in section 1701 of title 38, United States
Code.
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