Duval Times

Senators Rick Scott and Jon Ossoff have initiated a bipartisan inquiry into the wait times for community care appointments at VA hospitals. In a letter addressed to Veteran Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, the senators expressed their concern over the delays in scheduling and receiving healthcare for eligible veterans. The letter was also signed by Senators John Cornyn, Reverend Raphael Warnock, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Ted Budd, and Shelley Moore Capito.

The senators emphasized the importance of providing timely and quality healthcare to veterans who have earned it. They acknowledged the frequent communication they receive from their veteran constituents regarding lengthy wait times and stressed the need for urgent action to address these delays.

To improve program timeliness and efficiency, Senators Scott, Ossoff, and their colleagues urged the VA to fully implement the recommendations made by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Since 2018, the GAO has issued multiple reports recommending the establishment and analysis of feasible time standards to ensure timely veteran medical care. However, the VA has only fully implemented two out of the six relevant GAO recommendations.

In their inquiry, the senators called on the VA to take immediate action and address the delays in community care appointments. They also highlighted the importance of analyzing and implementing the GAO's recommendations to improve the overall efficiency of the program.

The letter concludes by stating, "Our veterans deserve timely, quality healthcare, and it is imperative that these delays are urgently addressed."

The bipartisan inquiry letter can be accessed by clicking [here](link to the letter).

This bipartisan effort led by Senators Scott and Ossoff aims to bring attention to the issue of wait times for community care appointments at VA hospitals. By urging the VA to implement the GAO's recommendations, these senators are advocating for improved healthcare services for our deserving veterans.