PILOT PROGRAM OF MOBILE HEALTH-CARE CLINICS.

SEC. 113. PILOT PROGRAM OF MOBILE HEALTH-CARE CLINICS. (a) Program.— (1) In order to evaluate the desirability of using mobile health-care clinics to increase the access to Veteran’ Administration health-care services of veterans who reside in isolated rural areas, the Administrator may conduct a pilot program under which eligible veterans residing in areas which are at least 102 STAT. 500100 miles from the nearest Veterans’ Administration health-care facility are furnished health-care services at a location convenient to their residences by Veteran’ Administration employees furnishing such services through the use of appropriately equipped mobile health-care clinics. The pilot program shall be conducted for a period of not less than 24 months. (2) The pilot program authorized by paragraph (1) shall be carried out using at least two mobile health-care clinics in each of the following geographic areas of the United States: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West. (b) Funding.— There is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1989 and 1990 in order to carry out this section. No funds may be used for the pilot program unless specifically appropriated for that purpose. (c) Evaluation.— In carrying out the pilot program, the Administrator shall evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of furnishing care to eligible veterans through the use of mobile health-care clinics. (d) Reports.— Not later than 20 months after the first health-care service under the pilot program is furnished, the Administrator shall submit to the Committees on Veteran’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives an interim report on the implementation, operation, and results of the first 17 month’ experience under the pilot program. Not later than 27 months after the beginning of the pilot program, the Administrator shall submit to such committees a final such report. Each such report shall include the following: (1) Information on the health-care services that were furnished under such pilot program and a detailed specification of the costs of furnishing such services. (2) Information describing the veterans who were furnished services under the pilot program, including a detailed description with respect to service connection, age, prior access to and use of Veterans’ Administration care and services, and the financial need of such veterans. (3) The preliminary or final results of the Administrator’s evaluation. (4) Any plans for administrative action, and any recommendations for legislation, that the Administrator considers appropriate to include in the report.