Sec. 106. Strategy regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs High-Performing Integrated Health Care Network
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Not less frequently than every four years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall perform market area assessments regarding the health care services furnished under the laws administered by the Secretary. Each market area assessment established under paragraph
(1)shall include the following: An assessment of the demand for health care from the Department, disaggregated by geographic market areas as determined by the Secretary, including the number of requests for health care services under the laws administered by the Secretary. An inventory of the health care capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs across the Department’s system of facilities. An assessment of the health care capacity to be provided through contracted community care providers and providers who entered into a provider agreement with the Department under section 1703A of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 102(a), including the number of providers, the geographic location of the providers, and categories or types of health care services provided by the providers. An assessment obtained from other Federal direct delivery systems of their capacity to provide health care to veterans. An assessment of the health care capacity of non-contracted providers where there is insufficient network supply. An assessment of the health care capacity of academic affiliates and other collaborations of the Department as it relates to providing health care to veterans. An assessment of the effects on health care capacity by the access guidelines and standards for quality established under section 1703(h) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 101(a)(1). The number of appointments for health care services under the laws administered by the Secretary, disaggregated by— appointments at facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and appointments with non-Department health care providers. The Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress the market area assessments established in paragraph (1). The Secretary shall use the market area assessments established under paragraph
(1)in determining the capacity of the health care provider networks established under section 1703(j) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 101(a)(1). The Secretary shall ensure that the Department budget for any fiscal year (as submitted with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code) reflects the findings of the Secretary with respect to the most recent market area assessments under paragraph (1). The amendments made by subsection
(a)shall take effect on September 30, 2018. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once every four years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a strategic plan that specifies a four-year forecast of— the demand for health care from the Department, disaggregated by geographic area as determined by the Secretary; the health care capacity to be provided at each medical center of the Department; and the health care capacity to be provided through community care providers. In preparing the strategic plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— consider the access guidelines and standards for quality established under section 1703(h) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 101(a)(1); consider the market area assessments established under subsection (a); consider the needs of the Department based on identified services that provide management of conditions or disorders related to military service for which there is limited experience or access in the national market, the overall health of veterans throughout their lifespan, or other services as the Secretary determines appropriate; consult with key stakeholders within the Department, the heads of other Federal agencies, and other relevant governmental and nongovernmental entities, including State, local, and tribal government officials, members of Congress, veterans service organizations, private sector representatives, academics, and other policy experts; identify emerging issues, trends, problems, and opportunities that could affect health care services furnished under the laws administered by the Secretary; develop recommendations regarding both short- and long-term priorities for health care services furnished under the laws administered by the Secretary; after consultation with veterans service organizations and other key stakeholders on survey development or modification of an existing survey, consider a survey of veterans who have used hospital care, medical services, or extended care services furnished by the Veterans Health Administration during the most recent two-year period to assess the satisfaction of the veterans with service and quality of care; and consider such other matters as the Secretary considers appropriate. In this section, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.