Amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes.

Summary

Creates a VA External Provider Scheduling Program that lets VA schedulers view community (non-VA) provider appointment availability and book those appointments in real time for care authorized under the Veterans Community Care Program. The program must be implemented via an existing VA contract if feasible (or a new contract), must demonstrably reduce time from referral to appointment and reduce scheduler time, and must be rolled out to all VA medical centers by September 30, 2025. Requires annual progress reports to the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs each year by September 30 through 2028, codifies the program in federal law (adding 38 U.S.C. §1703H), and makes conforming edits to current statutory cross-references; no new appropriation text is included in the bill itself.

• Establishes a VA External Provider Scheduling Program to let VA schedulers view and book community provider appointments in real time.
• Requires use of an existing VA contract if feasible, or the award of a new contract to implement the program.
• Must demonstrably reduce days from referral to appointment and reduce scheduler time to schedule appointments.
• Program must be available at all VA medical centers by September 30, 2025.
• Requires annual progress reports to House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees each September 30 through 2028.
• Adds a new codified provision to federal law (38 U.S.C. §1703H) and updates statutory cross-references.
• Does not itself appropriate funds or set detailed technical standards; implementation depends on VA contracting and IT work.