Bill > S3988

This bill, known as the Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices Act or Veterans STAND Act, directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to offer annual preventative health evaluations to veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder, provided the veteran chooses to undergo the evaluation. These evaluations will assess risks for health complications related to the injury, chronic pain management, dietary and weight management, prosthetic equipment, and assistive technologies, which are defined as powered medical devices or electronic tools that help alleviate symptoms or conditions caused by spinal cord injuries or disorders, including personal mobility devices like powered exoskeletons, speech generating devices, and spinal cord neuromodulation technologies like non-invasive transcutaneous spinal stimulation. The Secretary must consult with relevant experts, program managers, and patient advocacy groups when developing guidelines for these evaluations and ensure veterans are informed about the available assessments. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Secretary report to Congress every two years on the utilization of assistive technologies and the number of veterans receiving these evaluations, and that the provision of these evaluations be considered when reviewing the performance of Veterans Integrated Service Networks.