Political Quotes

“the Congress has a long record of support for America's veterans and for the VA health care system on which so many veterans depend. That system, like health care delivery generally, is facing an era of challenge and change. A critical factor for both the private and public health sectors, of course, is the high cost of health care delivery. Managing within a fixed budget, the VA has long been a cost-conscious provider of care. In recent months, however, VA's leadership has initiated additional reforms aimed at achieving more efficient service delivery. We continue to press the VA to streamline and improve its delivery of care. We also recognize, however, that the Department operates within a statutory framework which from time to time needs revision. It has become clear to me that at least one key element of VA benefits law no longer serves the veteran or VA effectively. Specifically, the laws governing eligibility for VA care have become archaic and need to be modified. Those laws--some reflecting medical practices of years ago-- make it easier to get costly hospital in-patient care than routine outpatient treatment. As a result, VA facilities often face the choice of denying a veteran routine outpatient treatment, providing that treatment illegally, or hospitalizing the individual to circumvent statutory limitations. There is relatively broad consensus that enactment of health care eligibility reform is a top priority.”