South Lake Today

Washington, D.C. — Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, joined Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Congressman Donald Davis (D-NC), along with eleven colleagues to introduce the Protecting Veteran Community Care Act, bicameral, bipartisan legislation that provides veterans with easier, quicker, and better access to mental healthcare by ensuring the VA is granting such services in their local communities.

The Protecting Veteran Community Care Act strengthens the existing community care program, limits the VA’s ability to restrict access to care in the community, and requires the VA to track relevant community care data and provide those statistics to Congress. 

“Many of our returning veterans carry with them invisible wounds sustained in the service of our country,” said Rep. Webster. “This important legislation ensures that our brave heroes have the access to the care they need, the benefits they earned, and the opportunities they deserve. We owe them a debt we can never repay.” 

The Protecting Veteran Community Care Act would:

• Amend the MISSION Act to specifically include inpatient mental health standards.
• Adds clarity to veteran eligibility for care in the community.
• Requires the VA to track and present to Congress data on how veterans are requesting and using community care, along with what services community care funds are paying for.
• Requires passage of a Joint Resolution in both chambers of Congress to modify community care eligibility.

Background:

The 2018 VA MISSION Act was a landmark piece of legislation that overhauled the VA Choice Program to provide veterans with improved access to healthcare. Unfortunately, the VA has failed to live up to its obligation to provide timely care. Veterans are still facing unacceptably long waiting periods and frequently rescheduled appointments. The VA continues to fall short on the complete and proper implementation of the MISSION Act. This has resulted in the need for Congress to strengthen existing authorities to ensure that the VA isn’t restricting care in the community for veterans who need it most.  

Current House cosponsors: Reps. Donald Davis (D-NC), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Michelle Steel (R-CA), Eli Crane (R-AZ), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), Chip Roy (R-TX), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) Kevin Hern (R-OK)

Original source can be found here.