Newhouse, Wash. State colleagues voice concerns about VA healthcare access

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and the entire bipartisan Washington State congressional delegation last week expressed concerns about the challenges facing U.S. military veterans who need to access medical care in their home state and requested immediate federal action to resolve the issues.

Specifically, the lawmakers seek improvements for access to care provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care Systems covering Washington state, according to a June 3 letter they sent to VA Secretary Denis McDonough and Dr. Richard Stone, acting undersecretary for health at the Veterans Health Administration. Such systems include the VA Puget Sound Health Care System at the Puget Sound VA Medical Center (VAMC), and the American Lake VAMC, and the VA Portland Health Care System at the Portland VAMC.

“We request your immediate assistance in resolving the systemic issues plaguing the veterans’ healthcare system,” wrote Rep. Newhouse and his nine colleagues, who included U.S. Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Marilyn Strickland (D-WA).

In 2018, Congress passed the VA MISSION Act to improve VA operations and provide veterans timely access to quality care. The law increased veterans’ access to healthcare within the VA’s network and through approved community non-VA medical providers, known as community care providers. Veterans could also receive care via mobile health clinics and via telehealth, according to the lawmakers’ letter. 

“Unfortunately, since the VA MISSION Act became law, our offices have received numerous complaints from veterans and providers regarding difficulties in accessing healthcare, including a lack of clear communication, long wait times to receive care, a lack of sufficient care facilities in the area, delays in approving claims, and understaffed facilities,” Rep. Newhouse and his colleagues wrote. 

The members requested that McDonough and Stone address these concerns and provide the most up-to-date data available, and posed numerous questions they want answered by June 30.