ACTION ALERT: Veterans’ Bills Will Harm Veterans and the Care They Receive at VA

Background:  

S. 1315, the Veterans’ Health Empowerment, Access, Leadership, and Transparency for our Heroes or (HEALTH) Act of 2023, and Draft bill, Making Community Care Work for Veterans Act were considered at a July 12, 2023, Legislative Hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. The bills expand eligibility of Veterans under the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP). 

Three of the bills’ provisions will harm Veterans by causing large amounts of funds to be diverted from VA facilities to the private sector. This will force more reductions of VA staff, curtail in house programs, and closures of inpatient units, emergency rooms, and even entire facilities. The bills could rapidly turn the VA healthcare system from its current primary role as a provider of health care into a payer for private sector care.

NOVA, alongside many VA organizations and others submitted our thoughts on several of the bill’s provisions – to read the statement: Multiorganizational Statement for the Record SVAC Hearing July 12, 2023 .pdf (avapl.org)

Action Needed:  Call or email your Senators and urge them not to support provisions of the bills that if enacted as written, would be devasting to the Veterans – these provisions include:  

Creating “veteran preference” as a new eligibility criterion to obtain care in the community even when it is available at the VA in a timely and convenient manner (HEALTH Act)

Allowing Veterans access to private sector healthcare without any VA referral, authorization, or oversight. (HEALTH Act). What is being touted as more “choice” for Veterans would in fact diminish options for care while draining VA funds and closing programs and facilities.

The bills also do not require transparency in the private sector – on wait times, care quality or mandate that VCCP providers do any training. This in fact denies policy makers and patients accurate information they need to make well-informed healthcare decisions. 

Call or email your Senators today – urge them to protect Veterans healthcare and the VA!

For more on HEALTH ACT - BILLS-118s1315is.pdf (congress.gov)

To find your US Senators - U.S. Senate: Senators

Sample Email to use to send to Senators–Advocacy Page