Bill To Improve Transparency At Dept. Of Veterans Affairs Gains Momentum

Photo Credit: Adam Fagen / CC 

Published July 30, 2021

The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –

The bipartisan VA (Veteran’s Affairs) Quality Health Care Accountability and Transparency Act passed the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee with unanimous support. 

Tennessee Capitol Building in Nashville

The legislation was introduced by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) and Mark Kelly (D- Ariz.) along with Representatives Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) in April to improve the way the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shares its performance metrics with veterans, their caregivers, and the public. 

Senator Blackburn said, “The growing veteran community that calls Tennessee home deserves transparency from the Department of Veteran Affairs.”  

The VA Quality Health Care Accountability and Transparency Act will require the VA to work with veterans, veterans service organizations, and caregivers of veterans to improve the Access to Care website. 

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“This is a good step forward, but more work needs to be done to ensure our heroes have access to useable health care data,” said Blackburn. 

Senator Kelly, a veteran and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated that the bipartisan vote in the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee brings transparency and accountability one step closer so that the failures of the past won’t be repeated. 

“The reforms our bipartisan bill will implement are critical to delivering quality care for veterans in Arizona, and I will continue working to get this legislation passed through the Senate,” Kelly said. 

Congressman Ruben Gallego, a Marine combat veteran and member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, stated that Veterans, their family members, and the American people should always have access to reliable information about how well the VA is performing. 

“I am glad to see progress on this legislation that will increase transparency and accountability at the VA, enable veterans to make informed decisions about their health, and improve the quality of care the VA provides. Those who have bravely defended our nation deserve nothing less,” Gallego said. 

 Congressman Dave Joyce stated that taking care of the brave men and women who have defended our country is the ultimate bipartisan cause. 

“I was proud to introduce the VA Quality Health Care Accountability and Transparency Act alongside Rep. Gallego and our colleagues in the Senate, and was pleased to see our bill pass out of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs with bipartisan support,” said Joyce, “I look forward to getting this bill across the finish line so that we can ensure our veterans have the information they need to make informed decisions about their health.” 

 The bill was first introduced in the 116th Congress in response to a 2017 Government Accountability Office report which found that the VA was failing to disclose wait time, patient safety, and quality of care information in an accessible and easy-to-use manner.  

The bill would require the VA to work with veteran service organizations (VSOs), veterans, and caregivers to improve display of staffing and vacancy information, patient wait times, and patient safety and quality of care measures and outcomes in a way that is accessible and easy to use for veterans.  

It would also require the VA to annually audit the data that it releases to the public to ensure that it is accurate and complete. 

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About the Author:

Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative 

Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Directory for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others.  He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com

One thought on “Bill To Improve Transparency At Dept. Of Veterans Affairs Gains Momentum

  • July 31, 2021 at 5:53 pm
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    I would personally be way more traumatized living on the streets…just sayin

    Reply

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