As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on September 10, 2014
H.R. 4971 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into a contract with a nongovernment entity to conduct annual surveys of veterans on wait times, appointment cancellations, and the quality of health care at VA medical facilities. The system-wide surveys would take place over a five-year period. Based on the cost of VA’s previous contracts with nongovernment entities for surveys and studies, CBO estimates that implementing this provision would cost $5 million over the 2015-2019 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.
The bill also would require VA to establish and disseminate standards and procedures to ensure that veterans who served in classified missions do not have to disclose classified information while being treated for mental health conditions. Based on information from VA, CBO estimates that this provision would have costs of less than $500,000 over the 2015-2019 period.
Enacting H.R. 4971 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
H.R. 4971 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.
