Availability of obstetrician-gynecologists and certified nurse-midwifes at military medical treatment facilities

(a) Requirement Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each military medical treatment facility maintains, at all times, the continuous availability of at least one obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife. (b) Use of contracts to meet requirement The Secretary may satisfy the requirement in subsection (a) with respect to a military medical treatment facility if the Secretary enters into a contract or other agreement with a private provider under which the provider ensures the continuous availability of an obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife to provide services at that facility. In entering into such a contract or other agreement, the Secretary shall ensure the following: (1) An obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife is on call 24 hours per day and will arrive at the facility not later than two hours after being called. (2) The obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife is located— (A) not more than 25 miles by road from the facility; or (B) within a 30-minute emergency response travel time under normal conditions from the facility. (3) The obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife meet or exceed all credentialing, training, and certification standards that the Secretary would otherwise apply to an obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife employed directly by the Department of Defense. (c) Information Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) issue updated policy guidance of the Department of Defense with respect to implementing the requirements of subsections (a) and (b), including standard language for contracts or other agreements under subsection (b); and (2) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing— (A) the status of obstetrician-gynecologist and certified nurse-midwife staffing at each military medical treatment facility; (B) any contracts or other agreements entered into under subsection (b), including the names and locations of providers; (C) the average response times for obstetrician-gynecologists or certified nurse-midwives and any gaps in coverage experienced during the one-year period preceding the report; and (D) plans to address any identified shortfalls in service availability. (d) Military medical treatment facility defined In this section, the term military medical treatment facility has the meaning given that term in section 1073c of title 10, United States Code.

(a) Requirement Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each military medical treatment facility maintains, at all times, the continuous availability of at least one obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife. (b) Use of contracts to meet requirement The Secretary may satisfy the requirement in subsection (a) with respect to a military medical treatment facility if the Secretary enters into a contract or other agreement with a private provider under which the provider ensures the continuous availability of an obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife to provide services at that facility. In entering into such a contract or other agreement, the Secretary shall ensure the following: (1) An obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife is on call 24 hours per day and will arrive at the facility not later than two hours after being called. (2) The obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife is located— (A) not more than 25 miles by road from the facility; or (B) within a 30-minute emergency response travel time under normal conditions from the facility. (3) The obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife meet or exceed all credentialing, training, and certification standards that the Secretary would otherwise apply to an obstetrician-gynecologist or certified nurse-midwife employed directly by the Department of Defense. (c) Information Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) issue updated policy guidance of the Department of Defense with respect to implementing the requirements of subsections (a) and (b), including standard language for contracts or other agreements under subsection (b); and (2) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing— (A) the status of obstetrician-gynecologist and certified nurse-midwife staffing at each military medical treatment facility; (B) any contracts or other agreements entered into under subsection (b), including the names and locations of providers; (C) the average response times for obstetrician-gynecologists or certified nurse-midwives and any gaps in coverage experienced during the one-year period preceding the report; and (D) plans to address any identified shortfalls in service availability. (d) Military medical treatment facility defined In this section, the term military medical treatment facility has the meaning given that term in section 1073c of title 10, United States Code.