118 STAT. 2396 PUBLIC LAW 108–422—NOV. 30, 2004 and automate the hiring process that can only be implemented if authorized by law, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives recommendations for such changes in law as may be necessary to enable such measures to be implemented. (d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the extent to which the pilot program achieved the goal of improving the recruitment and retention of nurses in Depart ment of Veterans Affairs health care facilities. SEC. 502. TECHNICAL CORRECTION TO LISTING OF CERTAIN HYBRID POSITIONS IN VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. Section 7401(3) is amended— (1) by striking ‘‘and dental technologists’’ and inserting ‘‘technologists, dental hygienists, dental assistants’’; and (2) by striking ‘‘technicians, therapeutic radiologic techni cians, and social workers’’ and inserting ‘‘technologists, thera peutic radiologic technologists, social workers, blind rehabilita tion specialists, and blind rehabilitation outpatient specialists’’. SEC. 503. UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH. Section 305(a)(2) is amended— (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘shall be a doctor of medicine and’’; and (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and in health care’’ and inserting ‘‘or in health care’’. TITLE VI—OTHER MATTERS SEC. 601. EXTENSION AND CODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY FOR RECOVERY AUDITS. Section 1703 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary shall conduct a program of recovery audits for fee basis contracts and other medical services contracts for the care of veterans under this section, and for beneficiaries under sections 1781, 1782, and 1783 of this title, with respect to overpay ments resulting from processing or billing errors or fraudulent charges in payments for non Department care and services. The program shall be conducted by contract. ‘‘(2) Amounts collected, by setoff or otherwise, as the result of an audit under the program conducted under this subsection shall be available for the purposes for which funds are currently available to the Secretary for medical care and for payment to a contractor of a percentage of the amount collected as a result of an audit carried out by the contractor. ‘‘(3) The Secretary shall allocate all amounts collected under this subsection with respect to a designated geographic service area of the Veterans Health Administration, net of payments to the contractor, to that region. ‘‘(4) The authority of the Secretary under this subsection termi nates on September 30, 2008.’’. Termination date. Contracts.
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