21st Century Veterans Equitable Treatment Act

The 21st Century Veterans Equitable Treatment Act (H.R. 1346) aims to reduce wait times for veterans seeking specialized medical care within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system. The bill would require the VA to set a maximum time limit for the period between a primary care referral and an actual appointment with a specialist.

If the VA cannot provide a specialist appointment within that timeframe or fail to provide necessary transportation, the bill mandates that the government pay for the veteran to receive care from a private healthcare provider. Additionally, the legislation would incorporate appointment wait times into the official performance standards used to evaluate VA medical administrators.