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REPUBLICAN PRESS RELEASE

April 19, 2007

VA subcommittee finds rural access to care needs improvement

By Jeff Phillips, for more information contact (202) 225-3527

Washington, D.C. — The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health held a hearing Wednesday on veterans’ access to health care. Testimony focused on the ability of veterans to access care through Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) and in rural communities.

“Rural has always responded to our nation’s call for military service. Unfortunately, as these veterans return home, they too often experience difficulty accessing VA care because they must travel long distances to VA facilities,” said subcommittee member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). “These veterans should not be penalized because of where they live. We must provide rural veterans the health care benefits they have earned.”

The National Rural Health Association, Disabled American Veterans and The American Legion provided testimony supporting the use of CBOCs as a way to provide care in non-metropolitan areas.

“We must act to better care for veterans living in rural areas, like much of my district in Kansas . While expanding the presence of CBOCs, we should also consider other venues of care to give underserved veterans more options to ensure they have access to quality health care,” Moran said.

Dr. Gerald Cross, acting principal deputy under secretary for health, told the subcommittee that VA’s telehealth programs are being used as a way to bring care closer to veterans. Specifically, Cross’ testimony stated, “Care coordination/home telehealth programs are well established in all 21 Veterans Integrated Service Networks and currently care for 24,921 patients.”

Public Law 109-461 required the creation of an Office of Rural Health within VA. Cross said the “mission of the office is to promulgate policies, best practices and innovations to improve services who reside in rural areas of the .”

The subcommittee also heard testimony from Dr. Marcia Brand, associate administrator for rural health policy for the Health Resources Services Administration of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Brand urged collaboration between VA and community health centers, as “effective coordination is especially critical in rural communities, where services and providers are limited and resources are scarce.”

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Larry Scott

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