To amend the Veterans’ Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 and the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 to improve the temporary licensure requirements for contract health care professionals who perform medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
The Veterans Exam Expansion Act of 2023 broadens the types of health care professionals who can perform contract medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Currently limited mainly to physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists, the bill expands eligibility to include podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, and other health care professionals as designated by the VA Secretary through regulation. This change is designed to allow these contracted professionals to practice under temporary licensure across state lines when conducting VA disability exams, helping address backlogs and staffing shortages. The bill primarily affects veterans awaiting disability exams and the health care professionals contracted by the VA to perform them. Within 15 months of enactment, the VA must report to Congress on how this expanded authority was used, including the number and location of exams conducted, the types of professionals involved, and any errors in contracting, along with a plan to correct such errors.
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