Political Quotes

“Our veterans deserve better than long, drawn-out claims processes that inhibit access to high-quality care. This is just unacceptable. Since the passage of last year's landmark VA reform legislation, the VA has demonstrated disturbingly little progress on addressing the emergency medical care claims processing backlog that is hurting our veterans. I requested data earlier this year on the VA's progress in fiscal year 2015. I was shocked to find that, as of late March of this year, only 14 percent of the claims originating from VISN 16, including my home State of Louisiana, have been processed within 30 days. That is abysmal. No employee at any business in Louisiana or anywhere around this country would be given a bonus with such a poor success rate. Mr. Chairman, it is high time the VA starts demanding a higher standard from its employees. My amendment is fairly simple. It prevents this agency from granting bonuses to its emergency medical care claims processing staff until the percentage of emergency medical care claims processed within 30 days reaches 90 percent. This is just unacceptable behavior. Time and time again, we have asked the VA and have worked and legislated to get them to clean up their act. Our veterans are suffering, and this is no way to treat them. That is why I have offered this amendment. Mr.…”