Sec. 103. REQUIREMENT THAT SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PUBLISH THE AVERAGE TIME REQUIRED TO ADJUDICATE EARLY-FILED AND LATER-FILED APPEALS

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## SEC. 103 REQUIREMENT THAT SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PUBLISH THE AVERAGE TIME REQUIRED TO ADJUDICATE EARLY-FILED AND LATER-FILED APPEALS ###

(a)Publication Requirement ####

(1)In General On an ongoing basis, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make available to the public the following: #####

(A)The average length of time to adjudicate an early-filed appeal. #####

(B)The average length of time to adjudicate a later-filed appeal. ####

(2)Effective Date Paragraph

(1)shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply until the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. ###

(b)Report ####

(1)In general Not later than 39 months 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 on whether publication pursuant to subsection (a)(1) has had an effect on the number of early-filed appeals filed. ####

(2)Contents The report required by paragraph

(1)shall include the following: #####

(A)The number of appeals and early-filed appeals that were filed during the 1-year period ending on the effective date specified in subsection (a)(2). #####

(B)The number of appeals and early-filed appeals that were filed during the 1-year period ending on the date that is 2 years after the effective date specified in subsection (a)(2). ###

(c)Definitions In this section: ####

(1)Appeal The term “**appeal**” means a notice of disagreement filed pursuant to section 7105(a) of title 38, United States Code, in response to notice of the result of an initial review or determination regarding a claim for a benefit under a law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. ####

(2)Early-filed The term “**early-filed**” with respect to an appeal means that the notice of disagreement was filed not more than 180 days after the date of mailing of the notice of the result of the initial review or determination described in paragraph (1). ####

(3)Later-filed The term “**later-filed**” with respect to an appeal means the notice of disagreement was filed more than 180 days after the date of mailing of the notice of the result of the initial review or determination described in paragraph (1).