Oversight authority over community care

(a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall include in each contract or agreement used to provide care or services through the Veterans Community Care Program provisions requiring the contractor and any subcontractor or participating provider to provide government officials, including the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, access, within a reasonable time and manner, to records, materials, documents, data, and personnel necessary to conduct audits, inspections, evaluations, or investigations related to such care or services. (b) Third party administrators (1) Requirement The Secretary shall require third party administrators under the Veterans Community Care Program to include provisions in agreements with participating providers that are equivalent to the provisions required under subsection (a). (2) Notification Notification of the requirements under this section and any other related information as the Secretary determines appropriate shall be included in the provider handbooks of third party administrators under the Veterans Community Care Program. (c) Standard contract language The Secretary shall establish standard contract language under this section in consultation with the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (d) Veterans Community Care Program defined In this section, the term Veterans Community Care Program means the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code.