Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 87.djvu/226

 194

PUBLIC LAW 93-82-AUG. 2, 1973

[87 STAT.

acting under any other cirelunstances which would preclude the remedies of an injured third person against the United States, provided by 62 Stat. 933. sectious 1846(b) and 2672 of title 28, for such damape or iniurv.*'. Scarce medical SEC. 208. Section 4117 of title 88, United States Code, is amended to services, conI'ead as follows t "The Administrator may enter into contracts with medical schools, clinics, and any other group or individual capable of furnishino; such services to provide scarce medical specialist services at Veterans' Administration facilities (including, but not limited to, services of physicians, dentists, nurses, physicians' assistants, dentists' assistants, technicians, and other medical support personnel).'". TITLE: in—AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 8i O F TITLE as, UNITED STATES CODP]—ACQUISITION AND OPERATION OF H O S P I T A L AND D O M I C I L I A R Y F A C I L I T I E S; PRO(TTREMENT AND S U P P L Y SEC. 801. (a) Subsection (a) of section 5001 of title 88, United 7 2 Stat. 1251; States Code, is amended by— ^ ^*^*' • (1) striking out the period at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting in lieu thereof a comma and the following: "and the x^dministrator shall staff and maintain, in such a manner as to insure the immediate acceptance and timely and complete care of patients, sufficient beds and other treatment capacities to accommodate, and provide such care to, eligible veterans applying for admission and found to be in need of hospital care or medical services. The Administrator shall maintain the bed and treatment capacities of all Veterans' Administration medical facilities so as to insure the accessibility and availability of such beds and treatment capacities to eligible veterans in all States and to minimize delays in admissions and in the provision of such care and of services pursuant to section 612 of this title. The Chief ]Medica1 Director shall periodically analyze agencywide admission policies and the records of those eligible veterans who apply for hospital care and medical services but are rejected or not immediately admitted or provided such care or services, and the Administrator shall annually advise the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affaire of the results of such analysis and the number of any additional beds and treatment capacities and the appropriate staffing and funds therefor found necessary to meet the needs of such veterans for such necessary care and services."; and (2) striking out in the first sentence of paragraph (3) "is authorized to" and inserting in lieu thereof "shall", and by striking out "four thousand beds" and inserting in lieu thereof "eight thousand beds in the fiscal year ending June 80, 1974, and in each fiscal year thereafter", (b) Subsection (b) of section 5001 of such title is amended to read as follows:
 * 'To*Stat. 1372.

Ante, p. 182.

"(b) Hospitals, domiciliaries, and other medical facilities provided by the Administrator (including nursing home facilities for which the Administrator contracts under section 620 of this title) shall be of fire, ear-th(piake, and other natural disaster resistant construction in accordance with standards which the Administrator shall prescribe on a State or regional basis after surveying appropriate State and local laws, ordinances, and building codes and climatic and seismic conditions pertinent to each such facility. When an existing plant is purchased, it shall be remodeled to comply with the re([uirements stated in the first

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