Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026

Section 7401(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists, after physician assistants,.

Section 7402(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraph (14) as paragraph (16); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (13) the following new paragraphs:

To be eligible to be appointed to a therapeutic medical physicist position, a person must—

(A) have completed a post-graduate clinical training program in therapeutic medical physics satisfactory to the Secretary; and

(B) be board certified in the field of therapeutic medical physics by a certifying body approved by the Secretary.

To be eligible to be appointed to a diagnostic medical physicist position, a person must—

(A) have completed a post-graduate clinical training program in diagnostic medical physics satisfactory to the Secretary; and

(B) be board certified in the field of diagnostic medical physics by a certifying body approved by the Secretary.

Section 7404(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by inserting THERAPEUTIC MEDICAL PHYSICIST, DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL PHYSICIST, after PODIATRIST (DPM),; and

(2) by inserting after Podiatrist grade optometrist grade. the following:

(2) Therapeutic medical physicist grade. Diagnostic medical physicist grade.

Section 7421(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (11); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new paragraphs:

(9) Therapeutic medical physicists.

(10) Diagnostic medical physicists.

Section 7431 of such title is amended—

(A) by inserting, Therapeutic Medical Physicist, Diagnostic Medical Physicist before, and Dentist Base each place it appears;

(B) by inserting therapeutic medical physicist, diagnostic medical physicist, after podiatrist, each place it appears;

(C) by inserting therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists, after podiatrists, each place it appears; and

(D) in subsection (e)(1)(A), by inserting, therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists, after podiatrists.

Section 7433 of such title is amended by inserting therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists, after podiatrists, each place it appears.

The heading of subchapter III of chapter 74 of such title is amended by inserting Therapeutic Medical Physicists, Diagnostic Medical Physicists after Podiatrists,.

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to subchapter III and inserting the following new item:

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the amendments made by this section.

The report required by paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the following:

(A) The effects of an increase in pay for therapeutic medical physicists and diagnostic medical physicists employed on a full-time basis within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(B) The effects on therapeutic medical physicists and diagnostic medical physicists who provide care pursuant to an agreement with the Secretary.

(C) Any change to costs to the Department.