Improving Confidence in Veterans' Care Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3530, as amended, the Improving Confidence in Veterans' Care Act.

This bill is sponsored by Congressman Michael Cloud from Texas. I thank him for his leadership in introducing this bill to improve the safety and quality of the care that is provided to our Nation's veterans throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs' healthcare system.

This bill would make several changes to current VA processes and procedures to improve the credentialing and privileging of the healthcare providers who are treating our veterans. For example, it would require VA to ensure that each VA medical center complies, verifies, reviews, and continuously monitors certain documentation, including licensure and certifications, related to the qualifications and clinical abilities of the VA healthcare professionals.

It would also require VA to ensure that each VA medical center reviews concerns relating to quality of care delivered by VA healthcare professionals and, when a concern is verified, that entities like State licensing boards, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the National Practitioner Data Bank are notified in a timely manner so that corrective actions can be taken to ensure patient safety and accountability.

In general, VA provides an excellent level of care to the veterans who are enrolled in the VA healthcare system. However, several recent patient safety incidents across this country have called into question the way the VA oversees provider credentialing, monitors the quality of the care that veterans receive, and responds to patient safety concerns. Many of the provisions in this bill are based on recommendations made by the VA inspector general and the Government Accountability Office for improving VA's standard operating procedures in each of these areas.

The brave men and women who have served in the Armed Forces deserve to know that the care they are receiving from the VA meets the highest quality and patient safety standards. This bill will help give them that assurance, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cloud), who has taken the lead on this.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

As given witness here today, this is simply making sure that our veterans receive the quality care that they expect and should expect and that we should be giving them. There has been a failure in the keeping of records and making sure by our VA that the doctors remain qualified and that the specialists remain qualified in their specialties.

What this bill does is it makes sure that our veterans continue to receive quality care and that records are kept. That is why we are joining in a bipartisan manner to move this bill forward.

Madam Speaker, I encourage all Members to vote in support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source