Keating Meets with Veterans to Discuss VA Healthcare Issues

Press Release

Representative Bill Keating recently held a meeting with veterans from across the Ninth Congressional District to review a newly enacted law, signed by the President earlier this month, that will expand access to health care for veterans. The Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 seeks to improve access to care and reduce long waiting periods. Notably, this new law will make it easier for veterans to see physicians outside of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities in addition to providing funding to hire more VA-based physicians.

Rep. Keating and the veterans he met with agreed that the new law represents progress for veterans, but also that more needs to be done to ensure that veterans receive the health care they deserve.

"I am encouraged that this new law will allow veterans who live great distances from VA facilities to seek health care from non-VA care providers," Rep. Keating said. "This model has worked for Ninth District residents on Martha's Vineyard who can now receive VA-funded care at hospital facilities on the island. The new law will allow more veterans to access care under this model, and that is certainly a step in the right direction."

Rep. Keating confirms, however, that veterans in his district are concerned about portability of care within the VA Health System. "I've heard from many veterans that they are frustrated because they live in Massachusetts but have to travel out-of-state to receive certain procedures. Additionally, others have said they cannot receive care when traveling to other states because their records are housed in the VA Medical Center in Boston. The VA needs to address these problems so veterans can be confident that their health care is available to them at all times."

"The meeting brought up some good points that should be followed up on at a later date," said James Reid, Executive Director of the Veteran's Transition House, who summarized several key issues of importance, such as "how the VA systems don't seem to "talk' to each other; for example, when a veteran happens to be travelling and needs care in another state away from his or her "hometown' VA facility."

"It's good that this meeting was held, as the Congressman has a wealth of information and experience with the veterans that were in attendance and were able to relay important and pertinent issues with the new proposed changes," Mr. Reid added.

Another concern was that non-VA facilities need to be aware of the benefits to which veterans are entitled. "The VA will now allow veterans to seek private medical care as a way to offset the backlog of appointments. I am concerned that hospitals may not be prepared to handle this and veterans' families may not know how to navigate this new arrangement," said Cecil Hickman, Project Leader at Dog Tags Navigators, a group of veterans dedicated to helping fellow vets access care in an effective and efficient manner.

The board, which in the past has met on an as-needed basis, will continue to identify areas where the VA and other support systems can be better prepared to deal with this emerging issue.

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