S. 3388: Sharing Essential Resources for Veterans Everywhere Act

This bill, known as the **Sharing Essential Resources for Veterans Everywhere Act** (or **SERVE Act**), aims to enhance the accessibility and quality of healthcare for veterans by improving collaboration between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill outlines several key areas of action:

1. Action Plans for Resource Sharing

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs will develop and implement action plans at designated facilities. These plans will focus on:

• Strengthening the sharing of resources between the DoD and VA.
• Improving communication between the VA and military medical facilities.
• Maximizing the use of military medical facilities that have excess capacity.
• Increasing the number and complexity of cases handled in medical education programs.
• Enhancing access to care for veterans at military facilities with available services.

2. Components of the Action Plans

The action plans must include various elements, such as:

• Cross-credentialing healthcare providers to enable joint care at both DoD and VA facilities.
• Expedited access for VA staff and veterans to DoD installations.
• A designated coordinator at each facility to act as a liaison for implementing action plans.
• Monitoring effectiveness and performance of these action plans through established goals and data collection.
• Integrating information technology to improve data sharing and billing processes.
• Oversight plans for addressing any adverse medical events or complaints.

3. Approval Process

Before being finalized, the action plans must be approved by:

• The co-chairs of the DoD-VA Joint Executive Committee.
• The local installation commander for the DoD facility.
• The director of the relevant VA medical center.

4. Patient Safety and Complaints

To improve patient safety, the bill requires the establishment of a secure process for veterans to report concerns regarding their care. This includes:

• A mechanism that maintains the confidentiality of complaints.
• Documentation of all complaints and healthcare incidents.
• Quarterly joint reviews of complaints and incidents by officials from both departments.

5. Transparency and Reporting Requirements

The bill mandates that within 30 days of completing action plans, the respective secretaries submit the plans to Congress. Additionally, annual briefings must be provided to Congress containing:

• Status updates on the implementation of action plans.
• Recommendations for future action plans.
• Patient intake statistics and information on healthcare providers involved.
• Financial summaries related to the plans.
• Reviews of oversight mechanisms and patient safety incidents.

6. Definitions and Scope

The bill defines key terms such as "enrolled veteran," "covered facility," and "sharing agreement" to outline who the legislation affects and the types of facilities involved in the program. A covered facility refers to military or VA medical facilities where these action plans will be implemented.

7. Sunset Provision

The provisions of this bill are set to terminate on September 30, 2028, unless extended by future legislation.

8. Rule of Construction

The bill clarifies that it does not mandate veterans to seek care at DoD facilities and maintains eligibility criteria for care from non-VA providers.

Relevant Companies

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