Rep. Jacky Rosen's Veterans Deserve Better Act Endorsed By The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association

Press Release

Congresswoman Jacky Rosen (NV-03) released the following statement announcing the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association's (ASCA) endorsement of her bipartisan Veterans Deserve Better Act, which Rosen introduced with Republican Rep. Walter B. Jones (NC-03) in the House earlier this year:

"I'm grateful that my Veterans Deserve Better Act has the endorsement of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, and I will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure Nevada's veterans receive the care they earned and were promised," said Rosen. "After all they sacrificed, too many veterans struggle to receive timely access to health care. This is unacceptable, and our bipartisan bill will help improve the delivery of care under the current law."

"On behalf of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), which represents more than 5,600 Medicare-certified ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) nationwide, I applaud Rep. Rosen and her staff for the introduction of H.R. 4783, the Veterans Deserve Better Act," said William Prentice, Chief Executive Officer for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association. "ASCA supports this legislation, as its passage would enable the 22 ASCs in Nevada's third Congressional district and those across the country to continue to deliver efficient, cost-effective community care to veterans."

BACKGROUND: The Veterans Deserve Better Act aims to improve veterans' health care by requiring that appointments through the Veterans Choice Program be scheduled by third-party administrators within five days of when a veteran requests an appointment, and ensuring that veterans seeking care have the information they need in advance of scheduling an appointment. This bill would also require the VA to hold private contractors accountable for the care they schedule on behalf of veterans, and ensure reporting and follow-up of delayed appointments. Third, it will require prompt payment to Veterans Choice Program providers by requiring the VA to pay for or deny payment within 30 days of receiving an electronic claim or 45 days of receiving a paper claim. It will also require the VA to pay, deny, or request additional information on any outstanding unpaid claims within 45 days of enactment.

Due to delayed VA reimbursements to Choice providers, veterans have experienced adverse credit reporting and debt collection because the unpaid medical debt is in their name. This is not only confusing for veterans who are under the correct presumption that the reimbursement will be made by the VA to the Choice provider, but can have lasting negative effects on their credit.

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