Ed Palmer
03-22-06, 07:12 AM
Bill would offer rural vets better access to health care
The estimated 5.7 million veterans living in rural areas far from veterans’ hospitals would get a chance at better health care under a bipartisan Senate bill.
The Rural Veterans Care Act of 2006 would use a combination of pilot programs, coordination with other federal agencies and contracting with private-sector doctors to find ways of treating veterans closer to their homes.
If that didn’t work, the bill would provide a huge increase in the reimbursement rate for travel expenses. Instead of the 11 cents per mile currently allowed, the bill, S 2433, would provide the 40.5 cents per mile given to federal employees.
Sens. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and John Thune, R-S.D., both members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, are the chief sponsors of the bill.
Better travel reimbursement and alternative health care are not new ideas. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., introduced a bill last year — still pending before the veterans’ committee — that would increase the travel reimbursement to match that of federal civilians. He introduced the bill when gas prices hit $2.20 in Wyoming, and prices have only gone up further since then while the bill sits in limbo.
Salazar and Thune, however, have collected 13 cosponsors from rural states and have a new wrinkle in their bill— the proposed creation of an assistant secretary of veterans’ affairs for rural veterans. This new position would oversee and coordinate policies for health care, benefits and national cemeteries.
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has expressed concerns in the past about health care for veterans in rural areas but is not a cosponsor of the bill.
A 2004 study found veterans living in rural areas were in poorer health than those in urban areas. It was believed that difficulties in getting treatment led them to put off care, especially preventive care. The result is that they end up with worsening problems that are more costly to treat, the VA study found.
“Our nation’s veterans deserve access to quality health care no matter where they live,” Salazar said. “It is clear that there is a need to better focus veterans’ health care policies on veterans living in rural or geographically remote areas.”
“The VA does the important work of serving the health care needs of millions of veterans across the country,” Thune added. “Unfortunately, our rural veterans are often unintentionally overlooked.”
The estimated 5.7 million veterans living in rural areas far from veterans’ hospitals would get a chance at better health care under a bipartisan Senate bill.
The Rural Veterans Care Act of 2006 would use a combination of pilot programs, coordination with other federal agencies and contracting with private-sector doctors to find ways of treating veterans closer to their homes.
If that didn’t work, the bill would provide a huge increase in the reimbursement rate for travel expenses. Instead of the 11 cents per mile currently allowed, the bill, S 2433, would provide the 40.5 cents per mile given to federal employees.
Sens. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and John Thune, R-S.D., both members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, are the chief sponsors of the bill.
Better travel reimbursement and alternative health care are not new ideas. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., introduced a bill last year — still pending before the veterans’ committee — that would increase the travel reimbursement to match that of federal civilians. He introduced the bill when gas prices hit $2.20 in Wyoming, and prices have only gone up further since then while the bill sits in limbo.
Salazar and Thune, however, have collected 13 cosponsors from rural states and have a new wrinkle in their bill— the proposed creation of an assistant secretary of veterans’ affairs for rural veterans. This new position would oversee and coordinate policies for health care, benefits and national cemeteries.
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has expressed concerns in the past about health care for veterans in rural areas but is not a cosponsor of the bill.
A 2004 study found veterans living in rural areas were in poorer health than those in urban areas. It was believed that difficulties in getting treatment led them to put off care, especially preventive care. The result is that they end up with worsening problems that are more costly to treat, the VA study found.
“Our nation’s veterans deserve access to quality health care no matter where they live,” Salazar said. “It is clear that there is a need to better focus veterans’ health care policies on veterans living in rural or geographically remote areas.”
“The VA does the important work of serving the health care needs of millions of veterans across the country,” Thune added. “Unfortunately, our rural veterans are often unintentionally overlooked.”