Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

(a) Development of plan. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop a comprehensive plan to better align training and incentive requirements applicable to community care providers participating in the Veterans Community Care Program and health care providers, residents, and trainees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(b) Elements. The plan required under subsection (a) shall—

(1) identify existing training requirements or incentives applicable to health care providers of the Department;

(2) identify existing training requirements or incentives applicable to health care trainees or residents of the Department;

(3) identify existing training requirements or incentives applicable to community care providers;

(4) assess gaps between training requirements and incentives for health care providers of the Department, trainees or residents of the Department, and community care providers;

(5) establish standardized baseline training requirements to ensure consistency in the quality of care furnished through the Department from health care providers of the Department, trainees or residents of the Department, and community care providers; and

(6) provide a strategy, assessment of barriers, and timeline for implementing such baseline training requirements, including—

(A) through online modules and continuing medical education programs; and

(B) within such strategy—

(i) metrics to measure the effectiveness of baseline training requirements in improving clinical quality, satisfaction of veterans, and health outcomes for veterans;

(ii) a mechanism to account for non-Department training that is equivalent or substantially similar to the Department training in length, scope, and content, as determined by the Secretary;

(iii) a mechanism to regularly communicate, including through direct outreach and publication online and in provider handbooks of third party administrators under the Veterans Community Care Program, requirements and expectations with respect to training;

(iv) a mechanism to track, report, and address non-compliance, to include corrective actions, which may include suspending or barring providers who are routinely non-compliant; and

(v) a mechanism to designate community care providers who routinely meet or exceed baseline training requirements as preferred providers or part of the high performing provider program of the Department, as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(c) Implementation. Not later than one year after submission of the report required under subsection (d), the Secretary shall begin implementing the plan required under subsection (a).

(d) Report to Congress. 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 a report containing—

(1) the plan required under subsection (a);

(2) a description of identified gaps between training or incentives for providers of the Department, trainees or residents of the Department, and community care providers;

(3) the estimated costs associated with implementation of the plan; and

(4) a description of any legislative or regulatory changes necessary to carry out the plan.

(e) Annual updates. Not later than one year after the submission of the report required by subsection (d), and annually thereafter for the following two years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives an update—

(1) describing progress in implementing the plan required under subsection (a);

(2) assessing any measurable impacts of such implementation on quality of care; and

(3) assessing any improvements in rates of compliance with training requirements among health care providers, trainees, and residents of the Department and community care providers.

(f) Definitions. In this section:

(1) Community care provider. The term community care provider means a health care provider specified under section 1703(c) of title 38, United States Code.

(2) Training. The term training includes training relating to—

(A) veteran-specific cultural competency;

(B) health conditions related to military service, including toxic exposures, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma;

(C) suicide prevention;

(D) pain management and opioid safety; and

(E) any other matter the Secretary determines appropriate.

(3) Veterans Community Care Program. The term Veterans Community Care Program means the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code.