WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) and Rick Scott (R-Florida) introduced a bipartisan bill to reduce VA wait times.
The recently-introduced SCHEDULES Act looks to reduce appointment times at VA hospitals and community-care centers.
The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit both a quarterly and annual report to document their success or failure in meeting the established time standards and would also publicly rank VA Medical Centers on how well each facility met standards.
“Georgia veterans are still having to wait way too long to get health care through the VA. This bipartisan bill will help hold the VA accountable to meet clear and transparent targets for reduced wait times,” Ossoff said.
Scott said as millions of veterans rely on VA, it is critical that providers are accountable and responsive in delivering health care.
“My bill, the SCHEDULES Act, will increase transparency within the VA to require uniform standards across the board so veterans have more insight into when their appointments will be scheduled,” he said. “As a Navy veteran myself and the son of a World War II veteran, I know that our veterans have sacrificed so much for our freedoms, and they should never be forced to play a guessing game of when they will be taken care of.”
Congressman Scott Franklin (R-Florida) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“As a veteran, I understand how challenging the VA can be to navigate, especially while experiencing a health crisis,” Franklin said. “Far too often, vets suffer in painful or threatening situations waiting for a scheduled specialty care visit. That’s unacceptable. Veterans have earned the highest quality care, and Congress must hold the VA accountable to provide it quickly and reliably. This important bill would ensure the VA…
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