Bill Summary
The Ensuring Quality Care for Our Veterans Act requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a contract or agreement with a third party to review appointees in the Veterans Health Administration who had their license terminated for cause by a State licensing board. If it is determined that the care or services provided during an episode of care were below the standard of care, the individual who received the care will be notified. This act also defines key terms and qualifications for the review process.
Possible Impacts
1. The Ensuring Quality Care for Our Veterans Act could affect individuals who have received medical care from a covered provider appointed by the Veterans Health Administration. If a clinical review determines that the standard of care was not met during an episode of care, these individuals will receive notice from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
2. This legislation could also affect the covered providers themselves, as they will be subject to third party reviews of their quality of care and could potentially have their appointment terminated if they are found to have not met the standard of care.
3. The Act may also impact state licensing boards, as they will be required to report any license terminations for cause of covered providers to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. This could lead to increased scrutiny and accountability for these boards in ensuring the quality of care provided by licensed healthcare professionals.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 123 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 123
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
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.
Passed the Senate June 30, 2020.
Attest:
Secretary.
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 123
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
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.