Navigation Members of Congress Recognize Problems with VA Healthcare and Propose Solution to Raise Awareness
Many Veterans continue to be frustrated with the medical care they are receiving through the VA health care system. Some of the most common complaints are excessively long wait times for appointments, lack of response to patient needs and overall inadequate health care. In 2019, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) alerted the President and Congress of significant financial mismanagement at the VA, including more than $223 million in wasteful spending and delayed payments for veterans’ medical bills. And while there has long been complaints about healthcare through the VA, solutions have been sorely lacking as there is a lack of response or even awareness of the issue.
However, the lack of attentiveness to the problem seems to be changing. A bill introduced this week would force members of Congress and their staff to get health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, a change aimed at forcing lawmakers to recognize the longstanding problems with the VA. The legislation has been introduced by Representative Warren Davidson, who is an Army Veteran. He states that the bill would make lawmakers and their staff receive VA care at VA facilities “as if such members and staff were veterans.” The point is to drive home awareness of the problems with the VA.
