Veterans STAND Act

This bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to offer annual preventative health evaluations to veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder and to increase access to assistive technologies. Sec. 2, Preventative health evaluations for veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder: The Secretary must provide an annual preventative health evaluation to any veteran with a spinal cord injury or disorder who chooses to undergo it, either directly, by referral, or through telehealth. The evaluation must include assessments of health complications related to the injury, chronic pain, dietary and weight management, prosthetic equipment needs and function, and assistive technology needs, including spinal cord neuromodulation technology. The Secretary must consult with VA spinal cord injury program managers, clinicians, experts in neuromodulation, and recognized organizations before issuing related guidance. The Secretary must also consult with assistive technology manufacturers if guidance directly affects them. The Secretary must ensure veterans with spinal cord injuries receive annual information about the evaluation. The Secretary may provide training, programming, remote monitoring, and follow-up for assistive technologies through telehealth. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress every two years on the number of veterans who used, were assessed for, or were prescribed assistive technologies, including categories and functional outcomes, and the year-to-year change in the percentage of veterans who received the evaluation. The Secretary must consider the provision of these evaluations when reviewing performance metrics of Veterans Integrated Service Networks. 'Assistive technology' is defined as powered medical devices or electronic tools to treat symptoms from spinal cord injury, including personal mobility devices, speech generating devices, spinal cord neuromodulation technology, and, where appropriate, implantable spinal cord stimulation systems approved by the FDA.