Sec. 7. Treatment of medical evidence provided by non-Department of Veterans Affairs medical professionals in support of claims for disability compensation

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Section 5125 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— by striking For purposes and inserting

(a); and In general.— For purposes by adding at the end the following new subsections: If a veteran has submitted a medical opinion or report of a medical examination administered by a private physician in support of the veteran’s claim, the Secretary may not order a medical examination to be administered by a Department physician unless the Secretary provides the veteran with a thorough explanation of why the medical opinion or report submitted by the veteran was not sufficiently complete and the reason why additional medical evidence is necessary. For purposes of a medical opinion or report described in subsection (a), the term sufficiently complete means competent, credible, probative, and containing such information as may be required to make a decision on the claim for which the medical opinion or report is provided. . The amendment made by subsection

(a)shall apply with respect to medical evidence submitted after the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.