This bill aims to improve how the Department of Veterans Affairs conducts medical examinations for veterans applying for disability compensation benefits. It establishes a pilot program to test conducting examinations at VA medical facilities rather than relying solely on outside contractors, gradually expanding from one to potentially ten regional locations between 2027 and 2033. The legislation also requires the VA to study barriers faced by rural veterans in accessing timely examinations and implement solutions like telehealth technology, while mandating enhanced training for VA employees who order or review disability exams. Additionally, the bill requires the VA to regularly review examination quality to identify inadequate or unnecessary tests, provide priority processing for affected claims, improve scheduling systems and communication between claims processors and examiners, and establish mechanisms for contractors to submit evidence veterans provide during examinations. The bill funds these activities through existing VA compensation and pension accounts, with key reporting deadlines within one to three years of enactment.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.