Canteen Service Revolving Fund (036-4014)

What this funds

3. Protect Veteran Access to Telemedicine. This proposal would amend Subchapter III of chapter 17 by adding a new ' 1730D - Prescribing, delivery, distribution, and dispensation of controlled medications via telemedicine. The new section would enhance Veteran access to care by supporting critical telemedicine authorities in ' 1730C - Licensure of Health Care Professionals Providing Treatment Via Telemedicine. Authorizing VA health care professionals to follow a standard, common-sense framework for telehealth-controlled substance prescribing would enable VA to maximally leverage telehealth to expand access, reach vulnerable Veterans in rural America and elsewhere, and protect the health care access of all Veterans, including those Veterans relying on 4. Reimburse Continuing Professional Medical Education for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and Physician Assistants: This proposal would amend 38 U.S.C. ' 7411 to include the authority to reimburse continuing professional education expenses for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and Physician Assistants (PAs). Extending Continuing Professional Education (CPE) expenses, which have steadily increased, requires improvement to the reimbursement benefits currently available to other health care professionals in VA for professional development, recruitment, and retention. The existing benefit in 38 U.S.C ' 7411 authorizes full- time board-certified physicians and dentists to be reimbursed for up to $1,000 annually for their CPE. This proposal expands the benefit to APRNs and PAs which allows VA to address other clinical mission critical shortages that have been identified in the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) Workforce and Succession Strategic Plan. 5. Correct Language Regarding Prescription Drug Monitoring: This proposal would make several amendments to 38 U.S.C. '1730B (Access to State prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs)) in order to correct uncertainties in the language of the original text, and to 38 U.S.C. ' 5701(l) (Confidential nature of claims) in order to allow VA to disclose information about our patients to State PDMPs, all of which are required to receive information about that patient from 6. Authorize Advance Appropriations for Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF), Community Care, and Direct Care Appropriation Accounts: This proposal would amend 38 U.S.C. '117, to expand the list of accounts that shall include advance new budget authority that first becomes available for the first fiscal year after the budget year (the covered accounts). Title 38 '117 was last amended in 2016. Since that time, Congress created the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) which now funds more than $50 billion per year for departmental operations. Congress has provided an advance appropriation for the TEF in some appropriations acts, but it is not included in the list of covered accounts in 38 U.S.C. '117. This proposal would add TEF to the list of covered accounts authorized an advance appropriation. Additionally, VA proposes to create two new accounts, Direct Care and Community Care, to fund VA healthcare and replace the four existing healthcare accounts. This proposal would add the two new accounts to the list of covered accounts for advance 7. Remove the Authorized Funding Ceiling on the Grant and Per Diem Program (GPD): This proposal would amend title 38 ' 2016, to remove the funding authorization limit for the GPD program for fiscal year 2027 - 2030. Title 38 ' 2016 (9) limits the authorization of appropriations for the GPD program for each fiscal year for FY 2027 to 2030 to $257.7 million. The FY 2027 more than is authorized for FY 2027. The current authorization limit also prevents VA from fully implementing section 402 of the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (Public Law 118-210, enacted Jan2,2025). Sec 402 of the Dole Act authorizes an increase in the GPD program per-diem reimbursement rates. It amends 38U.S.C. domiciliary care rate through FY2027. Furthermore, it grants VA the authority to waive the cap and reimburse up to 200% of the State Home rate for up to 50% of grant recipients. The current authorization limit also hinders the VA policy decision to increase GPD funding at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, as part of the overarching effort to provide additional wrap-around services to Veterans who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. 8. Clarify Decision Review Options: This proposal would amend 38 U.S.C. ' 5104C by clarifying that claimants may only choose one decision review request lane in response to a VA decision. It would ensure that Veterans receive a decision review that fully contemplates the entire evidentiary record and prevents redundant reviews of the same body of evidence, thereby maintaining VA's longstanding, Veteran-centric approach to benefits adjudication efforts. By amending the statute, VA believes that the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) language will more fully align with the Congressional intent in enacting AMA to assist claimants in receiving well informed and faster 9. Address Downstream Adjudication Issues Under the Appeals Modernization Act: This proposal will make the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA), P.L. 115- 55, applicable to administrative review of certain matters initially part of a claim adjudicated under the legacy appeals system. Following an award of benefits in a legacy appeal by the Board of Veterans' Appeals or the Agency of Original Jurisdiction that necessitates adjudication by the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) of one or more follow-on claim elements, administrative review of the AOJ's decision would proceed under the AMA. Such follow-on elements are referred to as "downstream" elements of the claim. For example, if the Board awards service connection for a current disability, effective date and rating level are downstream elements of the 10. Expand Contractor Access to Tax Information: This proposal would amend 26 U.S.C. ' 6103(l)(7)(D)(viii) to authorize the disclosure of Federal Tax Information (FTI) to VA contractors and vendors, aligning VA's statutory framework with existing provisions that permit similar disclosures for Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) over entitlement determinations and discretionary decisions involving FTI. However, with authorized access, VA contractors and vendors would be able to provide direct support for the development and maintenance of the IT systems that are necessary in the administration of VA's 11. Increase Pool of Educational and Vocational Counseling Service Providers: This proposal would amend 38 U.S.C. '3697B to allow VA employees, as determined by the Secretary, to provide on-campus benefits counseling instead of limiting this role to Vocational Rehabilitation VRCs, who provide specialized counseling under the VR&E program, deliver VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) services. However, the limited pool of highly skilled counselors and growing demand for Chapter31 services have constrained VA's ability to expand VSOC. VSOC counselors now focus largely on outreach, benefits coaching, and transitional support rather than traditional educational or vocational counseling. To expand the program and meet increasing demand without affecting Chapter31 services, VA proposes updating '3697B to give the Secretary authority to designate which employees may provide these services. 12. Provide Authority to Investigate Additional Retaliation Allegations: This proposal would modify the authorizing statute of the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP), 38 U.S.C. ' 323, to expand its authority to investigate whistleblower retaliation by supervisors. Currently, OAWP's investigations are limited to retaliation based on whistleblower cooperating with the Inspector General or Special Counsel, or refusing to obey an unlawful order. Expanding OAWP's authority to investigat

Extracted from Veterans Affairs Programs, p. 78. Verbatim; nothing here is paraphrased.

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