Reps. Meadows and Bera Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Address VA Wait Times

Press Release

On Tuesday, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) joined Ami Bera (D-CA) in introducing the Doctors Helping Heroes Act, a bipartisan bill to help shorten wait times at Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide by addressing the shortage of doctors they are facing. The bill would allow foreign doctors trained in the U.S. to get visas to practice at VA hospitals where they are sorely needed.

Currently, there is a projected shortage of 63,000 doctors by 2015 and more than 130,000 by 2025, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

"As Americans, we pride ourselves in being able to attract the best and the brightest to our great nation. This bipartisan legislation will ensure that talented doctors are able to serve in the areas that they are needed most," Rep. Meadows said.

"We currently have a shortage of doctors in this country--especially in rural communities and VA hospitals. Along with helping rural communities in Western North Carolina, this legislation will give more of our brave veterans access to quality care from talented doctors," Meadows added.

"Our veterans, and their families have sacrificed so much for our country, and they deserve our unwavering support," Bera said. "As a doctor myself, I'm proud to have worked with my fellow No Labels' Problem Solver Mark Meadows on this common sense measure to help address the shortage of doctors available to care for our vets. This is one of many steps we need to take to make sure our heroes get the health care they deserve."

Recent audits have found that about 10 percent of all veterans are waiting 30 days or more for an appointment at VA facilities, and experts agree that one of the primary factors contributing to long wait times at VA facilities is the lack of enough physicians to care for aging veterans from the Vietnam War and younger ones who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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