Tell Congress to stop these bills from expanding the VCCP
Congress is now working to merge three bills: the Health Act of 2023, the Making Community Care Work for Veterans Act of 2023, and the Veteran Care Improvement Act of 2023. It is time Congress takes steps to to ensure the VA remains the quality, veteran-centric entity that it is.
Tell your representative to vote NO on HR 8371
An election-year bill now moving through Congress (named after Elizabeth Dole) has both good and bad components. One bad component is a new, undefined "best medical interest" provision. It is open to interpretation that it is not just the patient's preference because private-sector providers do not provide the VA with data on quality and timeliness of care. The VA is thus unable to provide veterans with comparative information on private-sector care.
VA care once again found to be better than private sector care!
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed VA surgical care for women was associated with half the risk of postoperative death for non-cardiac surgeries than private sector care. Sending patients to the private sector decreases demands for VA care and could be used to justify closure of services.
Private sector referrals keep increasing even though VA wait times are shorter
Veterans are referred to the private sector for care if the wait for a VA appointment is deemed too long - but recent studies show wait times in the private sector are even longer. The Senate is considering a bill that puts the current wait time standards into law. Tell Congress not to do this by clicking below.
VA Secretary McDonough hasn't read the Red Team Report!
Send this CTA to your Members of Congress to let them know about the Red Team report and the urgent need to follow its recommendations.
Red Team Report: "The Urgent Need to Address VHA Community Care Spending and Access Strategies"
Tell your Members of Congress to read the Red Team report and stop the Veterans Health Act (Moran), the Making Community Care Work for Veterans Act (Tester), and the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act from being rammed through Congress.
Put VCCP on hold until it can be evaluated!
Congress needs to pause expansion of the VCCP and demand quality and cost evaluations. This is a critical step to be taken now as VA care is at a tipping point for being able to compete with private care. Click below to tell your Members of Congress to vote no on S 1315 and S 2649 and demand VCCP evaluations.
Tell Congress to fund the VA, not send more tax dollars to the private sector!
Urge your Members of Congress to reject President Biden's VA budget and insist that funds be directed to strengthening VHA, instead of filling the coffers of private corporations.
