Caring for our Veterans Act of 2017
This bill establishes a Veterans Community Care Program to furnish hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to covered veterans through non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care providers under specified circumstances. This program replaces the Veterans Choice Program.
The VA shall develop: (1) an education program for veterans about their VA health care options, (2) processes to ensure safe opioid prescribing practices by non-VA health care providers; and (3) criteria to designate VA medical centers, ambulatory care facilities, and community based outpatient clinics as underserved facilities.
The bill: (1) modifies the definitions of medical facility, major medical facility project, and major medical facility lease; and (2) establishes specified pilot programs.
The VA family caregiver program is expanded.
The VA shall implement a new information technology system.