# VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2023

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to schedule medical appointments for veterans over the phone while they're still on the call, rather than making them call back later or wait for a callback. Right now, when a veteran calls the VA to book a doctor's appointment, they might be told to wait for someone to contact them back, or they might have to call multiple times to actually get an appointment scheduled. This bill says that can't happen anymore—the scheduling has to be completed during that initial phone call, no matter when the actual appointment date will be.

The rule applies to any veteran who is enrolled in the VA's patient system and calls to request an appointment for hospital care or medical services at a VA facility. It doesn't matter if the appointment they want is weeks or months away; the scheduling itself must happen immediately during the phone conversation. The VA will have 120 days after the bill becomes law to put this system in place, so there's a grace period for them to adjust their processes and train staff.

The practical benefit here is straightforward: veterans won't have to play phone tag or make multiple calls to get an appointment scheduled. For people who are dealing with health issues, managing disabilities, or juggling work and other responsibilities, this eliminates a frustrating barrier to getting care. It's designed to make the VA system more efficient and less burdensome for the people it serves.

VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2023

Baird, James R.

VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that when a veteran enrolled in the VA health care system contacts the VA by telephone to schedule an appointment for care or services at a VA facility, the scheduling for the appointment occurs during that telephone call.