A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to make permanent and codify the pilot program for use of contract physicians for disability examinations, and for other purposes.

The bill would make permanent and codify VA’s pilot program allowing contract physicians to perform disability examinations for veterans seeking benefits. It adds a new statutory section (38 U.S.C. 5103B) authorizing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to contract with licensed health care professionals to conduct medical disability examinations, rather than requiring the examinations to be done only by VA employees. The bill also sets licensure rules for these contract physicians, specifies how examinations may be conducted anywhere in the United States, provides funding mechanics, requires a process to transmit new medical evidence discovered during examinations, ends the older pilot program, and requires a Congress-wide report within three years on the effects of this authority on cost, timeliness, and thoroughness of examinations. In short, the bill aims to normalize and expand the use of outside doctors to perform VA disability exams, with formal oversight, funding rules, and a three-year evaluation period.