Charleston Leader

Last week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) along with her colleagues launched a bipartisan inquiry into the delays veterans are experiencing between referral dates and scheduled medical appointments at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community care locations across the country. This inquiry, led by U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), calls on the VA to fully implement the U.S. Government Accountability Office's recommendations to improve program timeliness and efficiency.

The GAO has been recommending since 2018 that the VA establish and analyze feasible time standards to ensure timely medical care for veterans. However, out of the six relevant recommendations, the VA has only fully implemented two. In response to this issue, the senators wrote, "We receive frequent communications from our veteran constituents regarding lengthy wait times in both scheduling and receiving health care through community care providers. Eligible veterans have earned timely, quality health care; these delays must be urgently addressed."

Joining Senators Capito, Scott, and Ossoff in sending the inquiry were U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

Senator Capito has been a consistent advocate for West Virginia's veterans, their families, and the care and services they deserve. She has cosponsored bills such as the CARE Act of 2023 and the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, which aim to improve the VA's caregiver programs. Additionally, Senator Capito has supported the VA CAREERS Act of 2023, a piece of legislation that seeks to increase staffing at VA facilities, particularly for high-demand clinicians.

The full text of the inquiry can be found [here](link to the full text).

This bipartisan effort highlights the urgent need to address the delays that veterans are facing in accessing necessary medical care. By calling on the VA to fully implement the GAO's recommendations, these senators are advocating for timely and quality health care for eligible veterans.

Ensuring that veterans receive the care they deserve is a crucial responsibility, and it is heartening to see bipartisan support for this cause. The inquiry serves as a reminder of the ongoing commitment of lawmakers to improve the VA's community care program and prioritize the well-being of our nation's veterans.