S. 654 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes.

This section establishes within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a national External Provider Scheduling Program to enable VA schedulers to view schedules of and book real-time appointments with health care providers participating in the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP, 38 U.S.C. § 1703(i.e., program furnishing hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to eligible enrolled or eligible veterans through non-VA providers). It requires the program, implemented via contract, to reduce wait times from referral to appointment scheduling and from scheduler initiation to booking; mandates its availability at all VA medical centers by September 30, 2025; requires annual progress reports to congressional Veterans' Affairs Committees through 2028; and makes conforming amendments to the VCCP statute to reference the program in provisions on appointment scheduling and coordination.