Smith touts bill that would help vets get quicker health care

A bill offering more immediate access to care for veterans unanimously passed the U.S. House on Tuesday and is on its way to the Senate, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith said.

The legislation follows a nationwide audit of Veterans Affairs hospitals showing more than 57,000 veterans had waited 90 days or longer for their first VA medical appointments and an additional 64,000 who appeared never to have been granted appointments at all.

Smith, one of the bill's sponsors, said the legislation offers a first step toward fixing these problems and others within the VA health-care system. He added the audit shows the VA's numerous problems go beyond patient backlog.

The audit also found some VA schedulers were told by superiors to falsify appointments to make patient wait times appear shorter.

"In my opinion, the men and women who have volunteered to serve our country deserve much better from the VA," Smith said.

If a veteran in his 8th district is having a problem with the organization, Smith urges him to contact his office.

The Veterans Access to Care Act, or House Resolution 4810, would require the VA to offer non-VA care at the department's expense to any enrolled veteran who can't get an appointment within 14 days, which is the current VA wait-time goal. It would apply to any veteran who lives 40 miles or more from a VA medical

facility.

Smith said this is a key part of the bill because his district covers 20,000 square miles.

The bill also would:

* Give the VA secretary the power to fire poorly performing executives.

* Ban bonuses for all VA employees from fiscal year 2014 to 2016 and require the VA to submit a quarterly report to Congress, including usage information and an accounting as to what purchase methods were used to provide non-VA care.

* Require an independent assessment of VA performance to include recommendations for improvement of VA's current and projected health-care capabilities and resources.

"This is the first step," Smith said, adding a lot of other longer-term VA reforms need attention as well.

"I want to be part of this process in making sure we're providing the proper services that are owed to our men and women who have served. I will continue to work with our Veterans Advisory Council to see how we can put forth policy and legislation that's going to better serve our veterans," Smith said.

The congressman formed the Veterans Advisory Council, made of 30 men and women from each part of his district, after he was elected in June 2013.

Smith was pleased the bill passed 435-0.

"It means we all mean business and we're all on the same page and our veterans should be provided the utmost care," Smith said.

Joining other members of Congress, Smith said the VA audit's findings were "absolutely unacceptable."

The bill also has the support of Wayne Bowen, an Iraq War veteran who servied in Bosnia and director of the University Studies program and professor and chairman of the Department of History at Southeast Missouri State University.

"I strongly support this proposal, as it would enable veterans to receive more timely care," Bowen said in an email to the Southeast Missourian. "We have many other programs in the U.S. government that allow those receiving benefits to use the private sector when the government is unable to provide a service. The VA should be no different.

"I'm also encouraged by the tools this bill would provide to the VA secretary to enforce standards at the executive level. Most VA employees work hard to provide care and the best possible service for our veterans, but where there are those who are not, this could ensure more accountability."

Locally, John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, was found to have 14 patients who had waited more than three months for service; 26 in St. Louis; 19 in Columbia, Missouri; and 12 in Kansas City, Missouri, according to information from state lawmakers in Washington.

Facilities cited for further review in the service network that includes Cape Girardeau were the Marion VA Medical Center in Marion, Illinois; a community-based outreach clinic in West Plains, Missouri; the VA Medical Center in Leavenworth, Kansas; and Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas, the audit showed.

Poplar Bluff had 102 new enrollee appointment requests over the past 10 years and an average wait time of 25 days to see a primary care doctor, according to information from the VA for this service region,

At Marion, there were 494 new enrollee requests for appointments over the past decade and an average waiting time of 38 days to see a primary care physician.

Peggy Willoughby, communications officer for Heartland VA Network, said a computer error is partly to blame and some patients were seen once at Marion's urgent care and won't be seen again because they're next appointment was at their home VA.

"They have found there are hundreds of veterans that are not eligible that ended up on that list," Willoughby said.

It was decided the best thing to do is call every single veteran to ensure he received the care he needs, she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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