Safeguarding VA’s Healthcare Workforce Act

This bill establishes a three-year pilot program allowing the VA Secretary to fill vacant shifts at certain VA medical facilities using non-VA health care providers, primarily targeting rural facilities or those with high vacancy rates. The VA would pay external entities a fixed rate per shift, but only after vacancies reach a minimum threshold set by the VA. To protect veterans' privacy, providers under the program would only access medical records directly related to the care they provide. The VA must report on the program's implementation, including how often shifts were filled, which specialties were most common, and the number of veterans served, to Congress within specified timelines.