Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2017
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (17 May 2017): Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-299.
What this bill does
The "Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2017" proposes several changes for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It would require the VA to establish standards for its medical facilities to ensure they can meet the gender-specific health care needs of women veterans, including privacy and dignity. The bill also mandates that the VA align its inspection policies with its women's health handbook and ensure every VA medical center has a full-time obstetrician-gynecologist. Additionally, it proposes a pilot program to increase training positions for these specialists.
The bill affects women veterans by aiming to improve the quality and accessibility of their healthcare within the VA system. It also impacts VA medical center directors, whose performance evaluations would include health outcomes for women veterans. Furthermore, the VA would be required to develop procedures to share certain veteran information with state veterans agencies to help facilitate assistance and benefits, though veterans would have the option to opt out of this information sharing.
This bill was introduced in the Senate in April 2017 by Senator Dean Heller and co-sponsored by Senator Patty Murray. Its current status is "Introduced," meaning it has been formally presented to the Senate. The next step in the legislative process would typically involve referral to a committee for review and potential hearings, followed by consideration by the full Senate.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2017
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) establish standards to ensure that all VA medical facilities have the structural characteristics necessary to adequately meet the gender-specific health care needs of veterans at such facilities, including privacy, safety, and dignity; (2) integrate such standards into its prioritization methodology with respect to requests for funding major medical facility projects and major medical facility leases; and (3) report on such standards, including regarding the facilities that fail to meet such standards and the costs of projects and leases required to meet them.
The VA shall: (1) establish policies for environment of care inspections at VA medical centers, which shall include an alignment of inspection requirements with the women's health handbook of the Veterans Health Administration; and (2) certify that such policies have been finalized and disseminated to such centers.
The VA shall: (1) use health outcomes for women veterans furnished health care by the the VA in evaluating the performance of VA medical center directors, (2) publish on its website information on such performance and on health outcomes for women veterans for each VA medical facility, (3) ensure that every VA medical center has a full-time obstetrician-gynecologist, and (4) carry out a pilot program to increase the number of residency program positions and graduate medical education positions for obstetrician-gynecologists at VA medical facilities in at least three Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
The VA must develop procedures to share information that includes military service and separation data, personal email addresses and telephone numbers, and mailing addresses of veterans with state veterans agencies in electronic format as a means of facilitating the furnishing of assistance and benefits to such veterans. A veteran may elect to prevent his or her information from being shared.
The bill requires the VA to carry out an examination of whether VA medical centers are able to meet the health care needs of women veterans.
Timeline
17 May 2017
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-299.
Common questions
- What does S. 804 do?
- The "Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2017" proposes several changes for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It would require the VA to establish standards for its medical facilities to ensure they can meet the gender-specific health care needs of women veterans, including privacy and dignity. The bill also mandates that the VA align its inspection policies with its women's health handbook and ensure every VA medical center has a full-time obstetrician-gynecologist. Additionally, it proposes a pilot program to increase training positions for these specialists. The bill affects women veterans by aiming to improve the quality and accessibility of their healthcare within the VA system. It also impacts VA medical center directors, whose performance evaluations would include health outcomes for women veterans. Furthermore, the VA would be required to develop procedures to share certain veteran information with state veterans agencies to help facilitate assistance and benefits, though veterans would have the option to opt out of this information sharing. This bill was introduced in the Senate in April 2017 by Senator Dean Heller and co-sponsored by Senator Patty Murray. Its current status is "Introduced," meaning it has been formally presented to the Senate. The next step in the legislative process would typically involve referral to a committee for review and potential hearings, followed by consideration by the full Senate.
- Has S. 804 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for S. 804. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored S. 804?
- S. 804 was sponsored by Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV] (R-NV), with 5 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 804?
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-299. (17 May 2017).
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