On the recordMay 6, 2010
today I rise to introduce legislation to amend title 38, related to this Nation's obligation to provide benefits to our veterans. Specifically, the bill I introduce today with my distinguished colleague, Senator Grassley of Iowa will waive collection of copayments for telehealth and telemedicine visits for veterans. More than 42,000 veterans are receiving care in their homes, enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration, VHA, Telemedicine program as one form of treatment. In Alaska, as of March 2010, there were 226 veterans receiving this service. Just over 100 of those live in rural Alaska. Home Telehealth programs provide needed care for the 2-3 percent of veterans who account for 30 percent or more of agency resources. These men and women are frequent clinic attendees and often require urgent hospital admissions. VHA programs have demonstrated reduced hospital admissions and clinic and emergency room visits, and contribute to an improved quality of life for our veterans. For no group of veterans is this service more important than for those who live in rural and remote Alaska.
