Newsletter: Kansas Common Sense - Supporting the Veterans Choice Act
Statement
Hello,
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Supporting the Veterans Choice Act
On Wednesday, the Senate voted 93-3 to pass legislation to address the failures within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and a sponsor of the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, I was pleased the Senate rose to the occasion and came together on this critical legislation. I was unable to vote as I was in Kansas for my father's funeral, but there should be no question about my support for this bill. Had I been in Washington, I would have joined my colleagues in voting in favor of this bipartisan plan to help make certain veterans receive the access to quality, timely care they deserve. I will continue to work to address the challenges and problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs so our nation's heroes have a VA worthy of their service.
VA Audit on Quality, Access to Care
I was once again disappointed to hear the latest news from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regarding their findings from a so-called "nationwide audit" conducted by VA employees through face-to-face interviews, which I believe is far from a comprehensive assessment and sincere look at the magnitude of the dysfunction at hand. The Office of Inspector General (IG) wasn't involved whatsoever, and those conducting the audit did not utilize the same practices and procedures as the IG. If this cursory investigation discovered thousands of veterans who have yet to receive care, I believe these numbers only scratch the surface of the far-reaching problems plaguing veterans. While the VA is touting that more than 3,772 VA staff were interviewed, I'd like to know how many veterans themselves -- if any -- were interviewed. We need to ask our veterans if they are satisfied with the quality of care that they're receiving and let them be the judge of whether or not good things are happening at the VA. I expect to learn more about these delays and unauthorized lists, and will continue to engage with VA leaders directly until this situation is resolved.
Introducing Legislation to Expand Access for Emergency Care, Urging DOJ to Investigate VA Misconduct and Calling on VA Secretary Gibson for Long-Overdue Answers
On Thursday, I introduced the Veterans Emergency Health Safety Net Expansion Act of 2014 with Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, which would expand access to the Department of Veterans Affairs emergency safety net to all VA-enrolled veterans who rely solely on the VA for their medical care. This bill cuts through red tape and eliminates the 24-month rule that prevents veterans from receiving reimbursements for their emergency medical expenses. Veterans should not be forced to bear the burden of emergency health care costs because of an arbitrary rule that the Department of Defense has previously amended as well. Those who have served our nation with duty and honor deserve quality health care when they need it.
This week, in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, I urged the Department of Justice to join efforts with the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General's investigation into the misconduct at VA facilities. The Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee Fiscal Year 2015 appropriations bill includes the necessary resources to conduct investigations to make certain whether any current or former VA officials violated the law, with a report issued 30 days after enactment.
Several Senate colleagues and I called on Department of Veterans Affairs Acting Secretary Sloan Gibson this week urging him to extend the program Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) and the contracted medical services that currently benefit rural veterans. The ARCH pilot program has been operating since 2011 at five rural pilot sites, one of which is Pratt, Kansas. This program allows veterans to access health care services from community providers if they reside at least one hour from a VA medical center or Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). Despite the overwhelming satisfaction of veterans who utilize ARCH, the VHA has begun shutting down the program, restricting veterans from the services they have come to rely upon and directing them back to VA facilities. I believe the VHA intentionally misled my colleagues and I who have sought answers from the VA for months regarding the potential extension of the program. On May 22, 2014, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation directing the VA to continue providing medical care through ARCH in fiscal year 2015 using existing authorities. In light of this legislative action and the Senate passage of the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 last week, I am seeking Secretary Gibson's leadership to stop VHA's plans to dismantle ARCH and make certain that veterans who are currently receiving medical services through ARCH will continue to receive that care.
Visiting Colmery-O'Neil VA Medical Center in Topeka
On Friday, I joined Rep. Lynn Jenkins at the Topeka Colmery-O'Neil VA Medical Center to visit with patients and learn more about their experiences. I will continue to work to address the challenges and problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs so our nation's heroes have a VA worthy of their service.
Disappointing Appropriations Postponement
I was expecting to participate in the Senate Appropriations Committee markup of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015 this week. I serve as Ranking Member of the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over funding for all accounts at the Departments of Labor and Education and for most agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services. However, I was disappointed that this markup was postponed indefinitely. According to news reports, the markup was canceled because some Senate Democrats did not want to vote on Obamacare and other politically sensitive amendments. It is the duty of this Committee to make tough choices and take tough votes to reign in federal spending and prioritize initiatives that are important to our nation, and Democrats must not shirk this responsibility. I will continue to press for consideration of the Labor-HHS-Educations Appropriations bill.
Visiting Olathe Medical Center
During my time in Kansas, I visited with administrators and staff at Olathe Medical Center (OMC) to learn more about how they utilize resources to care for their communities. OMC is the centerpiece of the Olathe Health System, which includes Miami County Medical Center, 35 family care and specialty clinics of Olathe Medical Services, and more than 300 physicians and 2,500 employees. The Olathe Health System provides patients a comprehensive range of health services from prenatal to hospice care. My discussions with Kansas hospital administrators and staff cover a variety of topics. Almost every visit involves discussions about the ever-increasing federal regulatory burdens hospitals face as they work to provide quality health care services to their patients.
During this visit, we discussed unnecessarily burdensome and flawed Medicare audit regulations. Many Kansas hospitals have been forced to divert significant resources away from caring for patients to appeal incorrect audit decisions that are ultimately overturned through the appeal process. This broken Medicare audit program places an unreasonable burden on providers, and has created a two-year appeals backlog within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). I continue working to require HHS to address this problem. In April, I met with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Marilyn Tavenner to discuss these concerns. CMS is the division of HHS responsible for administering Medicare and Medicaid. Also, I included language in the Senate Fiscal Year 2015 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill requiring HHS to account for improving the Medicare audit appeals process and addressing the current backlog. Thank you to OMC Senior Vice President of Operations John Staton for hosting my visit, and to Olathe Mayor Mike Copeland for joining me on my tour.
Leavenworth Lions Club
I also attended Leavenworth's Lions Club to discuss the bipartisan passage of legislation designed to address concerns at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Thanks to the Leavenworth Lions Club and host Caroline Arter for the warm welcome, club president Kimberley Pearl for the invitation to speak, and to Lieutenant Colonel Richard Wright for the wonderful program on the history of Fort Leavenworth. It was also great to see Leavenworth Mayor Mark Preisinger in attendance.
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