Description:
H.R. 2547 would expand the types of medical professionals at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who could certify that veterans meet the physical standards required to operate commercial motor vehicles. Currently at VA facilities only physicians may perform the physical examinations and issue the medical certificates required for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). H.R. 2547 would allow advanced practical nurses, chiropractors, physician assistants, and other qualified medical professionals to perform those duties.
According to the Department of Transportation, physicians at VA have provided roughly 13,000 medical exams related to CDLs over the past two years. CBO expects that expanding the number of staff at VA who could issue the medical certificates would not lead to additional costs related to exams. Therefore, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2547 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2018-2022 period to prepare regulations; any such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
