The bill, which may come to a vote in the Senate as soon as next week, includes a range of provisions to improve care and will permit vets to receive care at private hospitals.
McCain, a former POW, and Sanders, chair of the Veterans Committee, forged the compromise Thursday evening. Earlier this week, the two senators released competing proposals.
“Reaching a compromise among people who look at the world very differently is not easy,” Sanders said. “But right now we have a crisis on our hands and it is imperative that we deal with that crisis.”
The Sanders-McCain bill provides funding for 26 new facilities across 18 states and $500 million in unallocated VA money for the hiring of new doctors, nurses and health care personnel. The measure would allow veterans who live outside a 40-mile radius of the nearest VA hospital or who have been waiting more than 30 days for care to seek attention at a private hospital using VA funds. At a time when waiting lists have been reported as reaching into the hundreds of days, the changes aim to relieve the burden on VA’s overextended doctors and nurses and shorten the wait time.
The bill also increases accountability within the system, allowing the VA secretary to fire incompetent leaders within the hospitals and would establish independent commissions to analyze and improve scheduling systems nationally. The measure includes a provision to improve care for victims of sexual trauma and also ensures access to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which allows veterans to attend public colleges and universities at in-state tuition prices.
“While this is not the bill that I would have written, we have taken a significant step forward with this agreement,” Sanders said.
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., released a statement applauding the bill and acknowledging the national responsibility to care for veterans.
“It is essential that we get to the bottom of what caused these problems and eliminate bureaucratic roadblocks to timely and high quality health care for veterans,” Welch said. “Congress should act quickly on reforms to restore the confidence of veterans and their families in their health care system. I applaud the leadership of Senators Sanders and McCain.”
