Veterans' Administration Health-Care Programs Improvement Act of 1985

(Measure indefinitely postponed in Senate, H.R. 505 passed in lieu)

Veterans' Administration Health-Care Programs Improvement Act of 1985 - Title I: Pilot Programs - Directs the Administrator of Veterans Affairs, during the period beginning January 1, 1986, and ending December 31, 1988, to conduct a pilot program to provide and coordinate the following services to veterans: (1) counseling; (2) employment counseling, training, and placement; (3) services with respect to alcohol or drug dependence or abuse; and (4) follow-up services. Requires the Administrator, in carrying out such program, to designate as demonstration projects ten current readjustment counseling facilities to be known as Vietnam Veteran Resource Centers. Requires the Administrator to be responsible for the assignment and use of employees at such Centers, and the Secretary of Labor to provide personnel to the Administrator for such Centers.

Directs the Administrator to establish a Vietnam Veteran Resource Center Coordinating Committee (the Committee) to ensure appropriate guidance and coordination of the pilot program. Requires such Committee to report at least every six months to the Administrator and other Federal officials on the implementation and status of the pilot program, with the first such report due no later than June 30, 1986.

Directs the Administrator, no later than April 1, 1987, to submit a report on such program to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives concerning the first 15 months of such program, and a final report on such program no later than April 1, 1989.

Authorizes the Administrator, during the period beginning January 1, 1986, and ending December 31, 1989, to conduct a pilot program under which the Administrator may contract for care and treatment and rehabilitative services in halfway houses, therapeutic communities, psychiatric residential treatment centers, and other such facilities for eligible veterans suffering from chronic mental illness disabilities. Requires, in the case of each eligible veteran provided such care and services, the Administrator to designate a VA employee to provide case management services. Authorizes the Administrator to provide in-kind assistance to a contract facility under this Act. Requires reimbursement to the VA for any such assistance.

Directs the Administrator to file an interim report on the first 36 months of such pilot program to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives by February 1, 1989, and a final report on such program by April 1, 1990.

Requires the Administrator, during the period beginning January 1, 1986, and ending December 31, 1989, to conduct a pilot program under which veterans will be furnished medical, rehabilitative, and health-related services in noninstitutional settings at ten demonstration project sites. Outlines the priority for the selection of veterans for such programs. Requires the Administrator, in carrying out such pilot program, to: (1) furnish appropriate health-related services solely through contracts with appropriate public and private agencies; and (2) appoint a VA employee to furnish case management services for each veteran participating in such program. Authorizes the Administrator to provide in-kind assistance to a facility furnishing such services to veterans if the VA receives reimbursement for such assistance. Limits the total cost of conducting such program to 60 percent of the cost that would have been incurred in a regular nursing home program.

Directs the Administrator to conduct a feasibility study of the pilot program and, not later than February 1, 1989, submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives an interim report, and, not later than April 1, 1990, a final report on such pilot program.

Directs the Administrator, during the period beginning January 1, 1986, and ending December 31, 1988, to conduct a pilot program under which chiropractic services are furnished and evaluated in each of five geographic regions of the United States. Authorizes reimbursement to a veteran for chiropractic services received and paid for by such veteran if certain requirements are met concerning the veteran and the nature of his/her injury, to the extent that such veteran does not receive reimbursement under any other insurance, hospital, or medical plan. Requires the Administrator to establish a schedule of reasonable charges for chiropractic services provided under such program. Limits the amount payable by the Administrator to $600 per veteran during any 12-month period, and limits total expenditures under such program to $2,000,000 in any fiscal year.

Directs the Administrator, not later than April 1 of each of the years 1987 through 1989, to report to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives on such pilot program.

Title II: Extensions of Authorities and Eligibilities - Extends through September 30, 1989, eligibility for health care treatment to veterans exposed to certain toxic substances in Vietnam or to nuclear radiation.

Authorizes the Administrator to furnish counseling to former prisoners of war.

Extends by three years the alcohol and drug treatment and rehabilitation programs for eligible veterans. Requires the Administrator to monitor each contract facility furnishing such services in order to make certain determinations, and report on the preceding four fiscal years of such program to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives no later than February 1, 1988.

Title III: Health-Care Management - Prohibits the Administrator from implementing a systematic grade reduction for VA employees who are certain health-care personnel, or are professional employees employed as engineers or attorneys, unless the Administrator first submits to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a detailed plan and justification for such reduction. Requires the Comptroller General to report to such Committees on the Administrator's compliance under this Act.

Authorizes the release to any person or entity of purely statistical information concerning VA health-care programs which do not implicitly or explicitly identify individual patients, employees, or individuals who participated in a medical quality-assurance review.

Revises Federal provisions regarding VA disciplinary boards to make such provisions applicable in any case in which clinical privileges may be reduced or revoked due to alleged inaptitude, inefficiency, or misconduct. Allows the Administrator to temporarily reassign a clinical employee pending a hearing in order to protect the health and safety of veterans.

Requires the Administrator to establish and conduct a comprehensive quality assurance program to monitor and evaluate the quality of health care furnished by the VA's Department of Medicine and Surgery. Requires the Inspector General of the VA to monitor such quality assurance program. Requires the Chief Medical Director to collect and maintain a compilation of mortality and morbidity standards for each type of surgical procedure conducted by the Department of Medicine and Surgery and to make certain comparisons, analyses, and evaluations concerning such compilation. Requires the Chief Medical Director, no later than January 1 of 1987, 1989, and 1991, to report to the Administrator on such quality assurance program. Requires the Administrator to provide the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees a copy of each report within 60 days of receipt by the Administrator.

Directs the Administrator, within 90 days after the enactment of this Act, to report to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees a description of the VA's present and future plans for monitoring the credentials of VA health-care professionals. Outlines details to be included in such report.

Title IV: Medical Facility Construction and Planning Part A: Permanent Annual Authorization Process - Revises Federal provisions concerning prior congressional approval of certain medical facility acquisitions to prohibit construction of facilities which will cost more than $20,000,000 except as authorized by a law based on legislation reported from congressional committees.

Directs the Administrator and the Comptroller General to jointly develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees a methodology for determining the types and number of hospital beds to be included in VA medical facility construction projects. Requires the Administrator and the Comptroller General to submit a report on such methodology to the appropriate congressional committees no later than October 1, 1986, and another report on the implementation of such methodology no later than October 1, 1987. Prohibits funds from being expended for preliminary facility plans after April 1, 1987, unless such plans are based on such newly-developed methodology.

Part B: Fiscal Year 1986 Construction Authorizations - Authorizes appropriations to the VA for FY 1986 for medical facilities construction at specified locations in specified limited amounts. Requires such maximum amount per-facility to be complied with unless the Administrator makes certain certifications to the appropriate congressional committees.

Authorizes the expenditure of funds from the working reserve of the VA's construction, major projects, account, for medical facilities construction at specified locations in specified amounts.

Part C: Alternatives to and for Construction - Directs the Administrator, in considering needed medical facilities, to determine whether: (1) construction of a new facility; (2) leasing of an existing facility; or (3) purchase of an existing facility is the most feasible approach. Prohibits the Administrator, after January 1, 1986, from proceeding to develop plans for new or replacement facilities without taking into account such considerations.

Directs the Administrator to contract for the construction of a nursing home facility that meets the current and projected needs and specifications of the VA. Outlines provisions to be included in such contract.

Requires the Administrator, concurrently with the budget submission for FY 1987, to provide the appropriate congressional committees with a feasibility plan for the purchase of a facility in an urban area suitable for furnishing both hospital and nursing home care.

Directs the Administrator, within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, to enter into a contract for the development of the use of modular components in the design and construction of VA medical facilities.

Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions - Prohibits payments made to an individual as a participant in a VA therapeutic or rehabilitative activity from being considered annual income for purposes of pension payments.

Directs the Administrator to ensure that the expertise of the VA in diagnosing and treating unusual stress and trauma associated with victims of political hijackings and/or hostage situations is made available to other Federal agencies and other appropriate organizations.

Transfers from the General Services Administration to the VA specified real property in Phoenix, Arizona.

Makes certain modifications to use restrictions on real property transferred from the Administrator to the Armory Board, State of Utah. Transfers from the Administrator to such Armory Board title to a certain fence erected on such property.

Authorizes the Administrator to modify certain restrictions on land previously transferred to Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.

Increases the maximum amount of insurance available under the Servicemen's Group Life Insurance program and the Veterans' Group Life Insurance program. Makes members of the Individual Ready Reserve and the Inactive National Guard eligible for insurance under the Veterans' Group Life Insurance program.

Extends from September 1, 1985, to March 1, 1986, the time period for entering into job training as a veteran under the Emergency Veterans' Job Training Act of 1983.

Extends through FY 1988 the authority to operate a VA regional office in the Republic of the Philippines.

Title VI: Effective Date - Sets forth the effective date for the provisions of this Act.