Duval Times

Senators Rick Scott and Jacky Rosen have introduced the Preserving Access to Patient Reimbursement (PAPR) Act, a bipartisan and bicameral piece of legislation aimed at ensuring veterans can continue using a paper-based system for travel expense reimbursements related to medical appointments. This initiative comes in response to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' transition to a fully web-based reimbursement program, which has posed challenges for veterans lacking computer access or experience.

The PAPR Act is cosponsored by Senators Roger Marshall, Jim Risch, Mike Rounds, Thom Tillis, Roger Wicker, Angus King, and Gary Peters. In the House of Representatives, Congressmen Gus Bilirakis and Chris Pappas are leading the effort.

Senator Rick Scott emphasized the importance of supporting veterans who have served the country. “Our veterans are American heroes, who have put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms as Americans. They have sacrificed so much on behalf of the country and shouldn’t have to face unnecessary hurdles at the VA, an agency designed to provide the support they earned. This bill provides a simple fix that makes it easier for our veterans to get their reimbursements, by ensuring paper files are available for those with limited access to or experience with computers or online-based systems. I urge my colleagues to support the PAPR Act and pass it swiftly into law.”

Senator Jacky Rosen highlighted the responsibility to facilitate access to benefits for veterans. “Our veterans sacrificed so much for our nation, and it’s our responsibility to make sure they can easily access the benefits they’ve earned. That’s why I’m helping to introduce this commonsense, bipartisan bill to increase the methods available to veterans to receive reimbursement forms for travel expenses.”