VA Medical Center Facility Transparency Act
New Bill Requires VA to Schedule Appointments During Initial Call and Publicly Post Wait Times
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to schedule medical appointments while a veteran is still on the phone. This would stop the practice of telling veterans they will receive a call back later to set a date, requiring the appointment to be finalized during that first conversation.
- Every VA medical center would be required to publish easy-to-read fact sheets for the public. These reports must include statistics on how many veterans were treated, the most common health problems seen at that location, and how satisfied veterans are with the care they received compared to other facilities.
- VA centers would have to post their average wait times every three months. These reports must be displayed in a visible spot inside the medical building and posted on the facility's website so veterans can see how long it takes to get an appointment.
- The policy puts limits on how long a medical center director can be sent to work at a different location. If a director is moved to another job for more than 120 days, the VA must appoint an acting director to ensure the local hospital always has a leader in charge.
- These new rules would begin 180 days after the bill is signed into law. The entire program is set to last for three years, acting as a trial period to see if these transparency and scheduling changes improve the experience for veterans.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
VA medical center directors face new reporting requirements, including annual and quarterly fact sheets with detailed facility statistics. Directors who are detailed to other positions must be returned or reassigned within 180 days (with limited waivers). These provisions add administrative workload and limit the VA's flexibility in moving leadership around, but also provide clearer expectations and stability for directors at their home facilities.
Programs
Disabilities
Broader Impacts
State Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
VA Medical Center Facility Transparency Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.