Direct scheduling of women’s specialty care for women veterans

(a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that any covered veteran may directly schedule an appointment for women’s specialty care, including through the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code, without requiring a referral from a primary care provider of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Availability The Secretary shall ensure that direct scheduling under subsection (a) is available— (1) through each medical center or clinic of the Department that offers women’s specialty care; and (2) via telephone, online scheduling tools, and any other modality used by the Department for scheduling of specialty care. (c) Prohibition on additional administrative barriers The Secretary may not require any additional approval, referral, or screening step as a condition of a covered veteran accessing women’s specialty care. (d) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or waive eligibility or access standards for the receipt of care or services under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered veteran The term covered veteran means a woman veteran enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, who is eligible for the receipt of women’s specialty care under the laws administered by the Secretary. (2) Women’s specialty care The term women’s specialty care means gynecology care, obstetrics care, maternity care, and postpartum care.