S. 2309: Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act

This bill, known as the Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act, aims to improve the speed at which death certificates for veterans are issued by mandating that physicians or nurse practitioners employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) certify the death of a veteran who has passed away from natural causes within 48 hours of becoming aware of the death. Here are the key points of the bill:

Problem Identification

The legislation addresses significant delays that have been reported by states and counties in the signing of death certificates for veterans, which can delay their burial and access to benefits. Some of these delays can last up to eight weeks, primarily due to issues with physicians or nurse practitioners in the VA failing to promptly complete the necessary paperwork.

Certification of Death

• Responsibility of VA Physicians: The bill requires VA physicians or nurse practitioners who are the primary care providers of a veteran to certify the death within 48 hours of learning about it.
• Alternate Certification: If the responsible VA physician or nurse practitioner is unable to certify the death within the required timeframe, a local coroner or medical examiner is authorized to step in and certify the death.

Reporting and Accountability

• Annual Reports: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to submit an annual report to both the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs. This report will assess compliance with the certification requirement.
• Report Contents: Each report must include:
  • The percentage of cases where the responsible VA healthcare provider met the 48-hour requirement.
  • The number of instances where they did not comply.
  • The common reasons for any non-compliance.

Legal Considerations

The bill clarifies that it does not require any VA employee to act in a manner that is inconsistent with local laws or regulations to which they are bound by their professional licensing and practice requirements.

Implementation Timeline

The reporting requirement will begin not later than one year after the bill is enacted, and the Secretary must ensure that subsequent reports are submitted annually.

Relevant Companies

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