Bill Summary
The legislation aims to establish a standardized system for credentialing and privileging medical providers within the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The key components of the bill include:
1. **Joint Report**: Within 120 days of enactment, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs must submit a report to Congress detailing the current credentialing systems used by both departments. This report will assess their scope, data management, interoperability, risk management, and any identified limitations or gaps.
2. **System Selection**: By January 1, 2027, the Secretaries must select one unified credentialing and privileging system from the existing ones used by DoD and VA. This system will be designed to facilitate the sharing of provider information between the two departments.
3. **Implementation Certification**: The Secretaries are required to certify to Congress by January 1, 2028, that the selected system has been implemented and is operational.
Overall, the legislation seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of medical provider credentialing processes for military and veteran healthcare services by creating a cohesive and integrated system.
Possible Impacts
The legislation concerning the establishment of a joint uniform credentialing and privileging system for medical providers at the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can have several significant impacts on various stakeholders. Here are three examples:
1. **Improved Access to Care for Veterans and Active-Duty Personnel**:
By streamlining the credentialing process, veterans and active-duty military personnel may experience faster access to medical services. With a unified system, healthcare providers will have standardized credentials, reducing delays in provider verification and enabling quicker deployment of medical resources in times of need. This can lead to timely and efficient medical care, especially important in urgent situations or when transitioning between DoD and VA facilities.
2. **Enhanced Quality of Care through Standardization**:
A joint uniform system can lead to improved quality of care by ensuring that all medical providers meet the same credentialing and privileging standards. This can minimize discrepancies between the two systems, reduce the risk of errors, and enhance the overall quality of healthcare services delivered to service members and veterans. Patients can have greater confidence in the qualifications of their healthcare providers, knowing that a rigorous, consistent standard is applied.
3. **Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings**:
The implementation of a single credentialing system can result in operational efficiencies for both the DoD and VA. By reducing redundancy in the credentialing process, the two departments can save time and resources. This could lead to cost savings that might be redirected towards improving healthcare services or expanding medical programs. Furthermore, with improved interoperability, data sharing between the two departments can enhance overall healthcare management and reduce administrative burdens, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more on patient care rather than paperwork.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3515 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3515
To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to jointly select a joint uniform credentialing and privileging
system for medical providers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 16, 2025
Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Ms. Rosen) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to jointly select a joint uniform credentialing and privileging
system for medical providers, 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. JOINT UNIFORM CREDENTIALING AND PRIVILEGING SYSTEM FOR
MEDICAL PROVIDERS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the
Domestic Policy Council, shall jointly submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the medical
provider credentialing and privileging systems in use by the
Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include each of the following:
(A) A description of the scope and scale of the
medical provider credentialing and privileging systems
in use by the Department of Defense and the Department
of Veterans Affairs.
(B) A description of the type of data stored on
each system.
(C) A description of the portability of provider
credentialing and privileging information under each
system.
(D) A description of the interoperability between
provider credentialing systems.
(E) A description of the risk management system,
adverse actions, and governance of each system.
(F) A description of the limitations and gaps in
the interoperability and administration of each system.
(G) Recommendations for scaling each system and
addressing gaps in the interoperability and
administration of each system, with the goal of
achieving a single, uniform system to be used by both
the Department of Defense and the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
(b) Selection.--Not later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary of
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the
Domestic Policy Council, shall jointly select one system from the
systems in use by the Department of Defense and the Department of
Veterans Affairs to serve as the joint uniform credentialing and
privileging system for both the Department of Defense and the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
(c) Capability of System.--The Secretary of Defense and the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the joint uniform
credentialing and privileging system selected under subsection (b) has
the capability to import and share provider credentialing and
privileging information.
(d) Certification of Implementation.--Not later than January 1,
2028, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
written certification that the joint uniform credentialing and
privileging system selected under subsection (b) has been implemented
and is operational.
(e) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.
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