VA Medical Center Facility Transparency Act

Section 2: Enrolled veterans could benefit because the bill requires that whenever a veteran calls the Department by telephone to request an appointment, the scheduling must happen right then during that phone call, regardless of when the actual appointment date will be.

Section 3: Veterans and the public could benefit from increased transparency because medical facility directors must create and publish annual fact sheets containing treatment statistics, patient satisfaction rates, facility successes, special areas of emphasis like suicide prevention or veteran homelessness, and details on previously deficient matters still needing remediation.

Section 3: Veterans and the public could benefit from knowing expected wait times because medical facility directors are required to publish quarterly fact sheets detailing the average wait time for veterans to receive treatment at the facility.

Section 3: Individuals looking for facility information will be able to easily access it because the bill requires all annual and quarterly fact sheets to be made publicly available in a physical form at the relevant medical facility in a conspicuous location and in an electronic form on the facility's internet website.

Section 4: Veterans served by a specific medical center could benefit from stable leadership because the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must appoint an acting director with full authority and responsibilities within 120 days if the current director is detailed to a different position, and must return the original director or reassign them and hire a new one within 180 days unless a waiver is used.

Section 2: The scheduling requirement in this section contains a sunset provision, meaning the requirement that appointments be scheduled during the initial phone call will terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of the Act.

Section 5: The entire Act contains a sunset provision, meaning that all requirements established under this legislation will terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of the Act.