No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, pursuant to existing health-care resource sharing authorities (10 U.S.C. 1104; 38 U.S.C. 8111), to develop and implement action plans at covered facilities (i.e., military medical treatment facilities identified as having excess capacity or space) to (1) strengthen resource sharing, (2) improve communication with military leadership, (3) increase utilization of excess capacity, (4) increase case volume and complexity for DoD and VA medical education programs, and (5) increase access to care for enrolled veterans. The action plans must include cross-credentialing and privileging of providers, expedited access to DoD installations for VA staff and veterans, designation of a liaison coordinator at each facility, performance monitoring mechanisms, prioritized IT integration for seamless sharing and billing, an oversight plan for adverse events and complaints (with reporting in congressional briefings), and other appropriate matters; the plans require approval by the VA-DoD Joint Executive Committee co-chairs, the local DoD installation commander, and the relevant VA medical center director prior to completion and submission to congressional committees. This section further requires a lead coordinator and public website list for all DoD-VA sharing agreements; establishes a secure, confidential complaint mechanism for veterans (with quarterly joint reviews of complaints, adverse events, and safety incidents); mandates prompt OIG referrals for allegations of abuse, neglect, or misconduct; authorizes interim suspension of veteran referrals pending investigations; and requires submission of action plans to Congress not later than 30 days after completion.