Sec. 105. MAMMOGRAPHY ACCESSIBILITY FOR PARALYZED AND DISABLED VETERANS

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## SEC. 105 MAMMOGRAPHY ACCESSIBILITY FOR PARALYZED AND DISABLED VETERANS ###

(a)Study ####

(1)In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study on the accessibility of breast imaging services at facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans with paralysis, spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D), or another disability. ####

(2)Accessibility The study required by paragraph

(1)shall include an assessment of the accessibility of the physical infrastructure at breast imaging facilities of the Department, including the imaging equipment, transfer assistance, and the room in which services will be provided as well as adherence to best practices for screening and treating veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder. ####

(3)Screening rates #####

(A)Measurement The study required by paragraph

(1)shall include a measurement of breast cancer screening rates for veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder during the two-year period preceding the commencement of the study, including a breakout of the screening rates for such veterans living in rural or highly rural areas. #####

(B)Development of method If the Secretary is unable to provide the measurement required under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall develop a method to track breast cancer screening rates for veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder. ####

(4)Report Not later than two years 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 the findings of the study required by paragraph (1), including— #####

(A)the rates of screening among veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder, including veterans living in rural or highly rural areas, as required under paragraph (3)(A); or #####

(B)if such rates are not available, a description of the method developed to measure such rates as required under paragraph (3)(B). ###

(b)Care From Non-Department Providers The Secretary shall update the policies and directives of the Department to ensure that, in referring a veteran with a spinal cord injury or disorder for care from a non-Department provider, the Secretary shall— ####

(1)confirm with the provider the accessibility of the breast imaging site, including the imaging equipment, transfer assistance, and the room in which services will be provided; and ####

(2)provide additional information to the provider on best practices for screening and treating veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder. ###

(c)Definitions In this section, the terms “rural” and “highly rural” have the meanings given those terms in the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas coding system of the Department of Agriculture.