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Plan on establishment of interactive, online self-service module for care

Title VI: Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers · Subtitle F: Other Health Care Matters

Plain-language summaryAI

The Department of Veterans Affairs must create a plan to develop an online self-service tool that lets enrolled veterans request and track appointments, appeal care denials, compare wait and travel times for care options, and access provider directories and claim information. The Secretary must submit this plan within 180 days and provide updates to Congress every six months for two years.

AI-generated from this section’s text — a quick orientation, not a substitute for the full text below. Not legal advice.

Section Text · Sec. 673.
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(a) In general

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and implement a plan to establish, to the greatest extent practicable, an interactive, online self-service module—

(1)

to allow veterans enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code—

(A)

to request appointments, track referrals for health care under the laws administered by the Secretary, whether at a facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs or through a non-Department provider, and receive appointment reminders;

(B)

to appeal and track decisions relating to—

(i)

denials of requests for authorization for care or services under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code; or

(ii)

denials of requests for care or services at facilities of the Department, including under section 1710 of such title;

(C)

to compare the average wait times for appointments for the type of care sought by the veteran at facilities of the Department and with non-Department facilities and providers through which the Secretary furnishes care and services under section 1703 of such title;

(D)

to compare average driving times between their residence and the nearest facility of the Department that provides the care they are seeking and between their residence and the closest non-Department provider that provides the care they are seeking and through which the Secretary furnishes care and services under section 1703 of such title; and

(E)

to view a provider directory, information regarding pending medical claims, and explanations of benefits; and

(2)

to implement such other matters as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(b) Submittal of plan

(1) Initial plan

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives the plan developed under subsection (a).

(2) Biannual update

Not less frequently than once every 180 days during the two-year period beginning on the submittal of the plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall brief the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives on any updates on the implementation of such plan.