APPOINTMENT OF CHIROPRACTORS IN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.

SEC. 302. APPOINTMENT OF CHIROPRACTORS IN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. (a) Appointments.—Section 7401 is amended—(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “medical” and inserting “health”; and117 STAT. 2058(2) in paragraph (1), by inserting “chiropractors,” after “podiatrists,”. (b) Qualifications of Appointees.—Section 7402(b) is amended—(1) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (11); and(2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following new paragraph (10):“(10) Chiropractor.—To be eligible to be appointed to a chiropractor position, a person must—“(A) hold the degree of doctor of chiropractic, or its equivalent, from a college of chiropractic approved by the Secretary; and“(B) be licensed to practice chiropractic in a State.”.(c) Period of Appointments and Promotions.—Section 7403(a)(2) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:“(H) Chiropractors.”.(d) Grades and Pay Scales.—Section 7404(b)(1) is amended by striking the third center heading in the table and inserting the following: “CLINICAL PODIATRIST, CHIROPRACTOR, AND OPTOMETRIST SCHEDULE”. (e) Malpractice and Negligence Protection.—Section 7316(a) is amended—(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “medical” each place it appears and inserting “health”; and(2) in paragraph (2)—(A) by striking “medical” the first place it appears and inserting “health”; and(B) by inserting “chiropractor,” after “podiatrist,”.(f) Treatment as Scarce Medical Specialists for Contracting Purposes.—Section 7409(a) is amended by inserting “chiropractors,” in the second sentence after “optometrists,”. (g) Collective Bargaining Exemption.—Section 7421(b) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:“(8) Chiropractors.”.(h) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall take effect at the end of the 180–day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.