Operation Just Cause... ...for as long as it takes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) delivered Wednesday on last month's promise to unveil an ambitious legislative plan to reform VA health care for an increasingly aging veterans' population.
Witnesses from veterans' organizations at the hearing praised the plan, the Veterans' Millennium Health Care Act of 1999. Chairman Stearns said he anticipated reporting out the measure for full Committee consideration as early as June 9.
In opening remarks, Stearns said long-term care has become as important as acute care to many World War II veterans. The challenge of long-term care, he said, has gone unanswered for too long. Stearns said the legislation would provide VA with "important new tools to improve veterans' access" to long-term care.
Stearns' remarks addressed another major concern, General Accounting Office (GAO) testimony that one of every four VA medical care dollars is spent maintaining buildings "rather than caring for patients." In some cases, Stearns said, closing VA hospitals might be appropriate. Future closures of needed hospitals might be expected under the President's "disastrous" VA budget, he added.
"This bill instead calls for a process to be sure that decisions on closing hospitals can only be made based on comprehensive planning with veterans' participation," Stearns said. "The bill sets numerous safeguards in place, and would specifically provide that VA cannot simply stop operating a hospital and walk away from its responsibilities to veterans. It must 're-invest' savings in a new, improved treatment facility or services in the area."
The testimony of Dennis Cullinan, Director of National Legislative Service for Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) was typical of the strong support of veterans' organizations for the legislation. Cullinan called the measure "forward thinking" and "proactive."
"The VFW applauds requiring the Secretary (of VA) to operate and maintain a national program of extended care services," Cullinan said.
In his prepared statement, Congressman Lane Evans of Illinois, the full Committee's Ranking Democratic Member, called for "quick action" on the Veterans' Millennium Health Care Act. He called it "a bill that works in a realistic framework, dealing with the disturbing trends we have seen in funding for veterans' health care, notwithstanding the Committee's support for significant funding increases."
"It guarantees that veterans with the highest priority for care, those with health care conditions due to military service, receive all the long-term care they need," Evans said.
Evans praised the provision allowing VA to reimburse any high-priority veteran for emergency care expenses, and another provision allowing more veterans to choose chiropractic care in the VA system.
The Subcommittee also heard testimony from Richard A. Wannamacher Jr., Associate National Legislative Director of Disabled American Veterans (DAV); John R. Vitikacs, Assistant Director, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission, the American Legion; Robert F. Norton, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs, The Retired Officers Association; Larry D. Rhea, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs, Non-Commissioned Officers Association: Dr. Kenneth W. Kizer, VA Under Secretary for Health; Harley Thomas, Associate National Legislative Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America; Rick Weidman, Legislative Director, Vietnam Veterans of America; and John J. Daly, Legislative Assistant, The Retired Enlisted Association.
The hearing was the latest in a series of Health Subcommittee hearings on preparing the VA to meet the health care needs of veterans in the 21st century.
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