U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski has introduced a bill aimed at protecting veterans who are scheduling health care appointments at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals.
Her bill, the VA Scheduling Accountability Act, would make it a requirement that each VA facility certifies compliance with VA scheduling practices every year. In May 2013, a senior VA official waived the annual certification requirement.
“Veterans risked life and limb to keep America safe and free, but too often the VA has let them down and failed to provide the quality, timely care they earned,” Walorski said in a press release. “Ensuring every facility follows the VA’s scheduling rules is an important, common-sense step as Congress and the incoming administration get to work fixing the VA so it works for veterans.”
Walorski introduced the bill last year in response to the VA wait times scandal that hit nationwide. It would prohibit any future waivers of the reporting requirement. It also requires that a list of non-compliant facilities be released to Congress every year, along with an explanation.
