Bill > S2450

This bill, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, aims to improve how veterans receive healthcare from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by addressing issues with appointment scheduling, staffing, and access to care. Key provisions include requiring an independent assessment of the VA's scheduling processes, staffing levels, and management of medical supplies, as well as establishing a technology task force to review and recommend improvements to the VA's scheduling systems and software. The bill also focuses on increasing healthcare staff by allowing direct hiring for certain critical shortages and mandates training for clinic managers and healthcare providers in areas like schedule management and patient demand. To improve access, it expands the ability for veterans to receive care from non-VA providers through contracts, particularly for those living far from VA facilities or facing long wait times, and streamlines payment processes for these external providers. Furthermore, the legislation enhances transparency by requiring the publication of VA wait-time goals and actual wait times, creating a public database of patient safety and quality measures, and ensuring information about physician credentials is more readily available to veterans. It also includes provisions for addressing sexual trauma, authorizing major medical facility leases, expanding educational benefits for certain veterans, and improving the process for removing underperforming Senior Executive Service employees within the VA.