Sponsors (2)
The bill improves veterans’ chances of timely mental-health follow-up through required outbound call/rescheduling efforts, at the cost of added VA administrative burden and the risk of leaving behind veterans without reliable phone access.
Covered veterans will be more likely to get timely mental-health care because the VA must call to reschedule canceled appointments, reducing delays in follow-up care.
Proactive outbound outreach (minimum two call attempts) helps veterans and patients with chronic conditions stay connected to care, improving continuity and potentially reducing downstream costs for hospitals and health systems.
Telephone-only outreach may miss veterans who lack reliable phone service or who prefer other contact methods, leaving rural, low-income, or otherwise disconnected veterans less likely to benefit.
The VA will need to devote staff time and call resources to make outbound calls, which could increase administrative costs and divert resources from other services veterans rely on.
Tracking call attempts and documenting outreach for compliance could create additional paperwork and operational strain for VA clinics and employees.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires VA to call enrolled veterans to reschedule cancelled mental health appointments, making at least two calls if the first call does not result in rescheduling.
Introduced March 18, 2025 by Bryan Steil · Last progress March 18, 2025
Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to try to reschedule cancelled VA mental health appointments for enrolled veterans by calling them on the phone; if a veteran does not reschedule after the first call, VA must make at least one additional telephone call. Applies to veterans enrolled under 38 U.S.C. §1705(a) and covers cancellations regardless of who initiated them. Does not create new funding, set specific timelines beyond the call requirement, or add other procedural requirements; implementation details (like exact staffing or tracking) would be handled by VA operationally.