Ensuring Veterans Timely Access to Anesthesia Care Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 2234 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2234 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update certain standards regarding anesthesia and pain management services in the Veterans Health Administration. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 18, 2025 Ms. Underwood (for herself and Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update certain standards regarding anesthesia and pain management services in the Veterans Health Administration. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Ensuring Veterans Timely Access to Anesthesia Care Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. ALIGNMENT OF STANDARDS REGARDING CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETISTS IN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION WITH STANDARDS OF THE DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall update VHA Directive 1123 titled ``National Anesthesia Program, Department of Veterans Affairs Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Practice Guidelines'' (or any successor directive) to recognize, in the Veterans Health Administration, certified registered nurses anesthetists as licensed independent practitioners in a manner consistent with the practice standards described by section 3(f)(2) of Enclosure of Defense Health Agency Administrative Instruction 6025.07, dated November 8, 2023, as amended. SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS OF ANESTHESIA PROVIDERS IN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. (a) Certification.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall require an anesthesia professional employed by the Secretary as-- (1) a physician a