Polk Times

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Scott Franklin (R-FL) and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) have introduced a bipartisan bill called the Scheduling for Community Health and Easy Data to Understand for Legislators to Evaluate Services (SCHEDULES) Act. The purpose of this act is to ensure timely treatment for veterans seeking specialty care at the VA. The bill has also been introduced in the Senate by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA).

Congressman Scott Franklin, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and House Military Construction/ VA Appropriations Subcommittee, stated, "Far too often, vets suffer in painful or threatening situations waiting for a scheduled specialty care visit. That's unacceptable. Veterans have earned the highest quality care, and Congress must hold the VA accountable to provide it quickly and reliably." He expressed gratitude to Senator Scott and Ossoff for leading this effort in the Senate.

Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick, Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, emphasized the urgency of the bill, saying, "Florida veterans in desperate need of care simply cannot afford VA appointment delays. This bipartisan bill helps ensure that VA is responsive to the needs of patients and is swiftly providing the care that they earned serving our country."

Senator Rick Scott, who is also a Navy veteran, highlighted the importance of increasing transparency within the VA. He said, "My bill, the SCHEDULES Act, will increase transparency within the VA to require uniform standards across the board so veterans have more insight into when their appointments will be scheduled. As a Navy veteran myself and the son of a WWII veteran, I know that our veterans have sacrificed so much for our freedoms, and they should never be forced to play a guessing game of when they will be taken care of."

Senator Jon Ossoff voiced his concerns about long wait times for Georgia veterans to receive healthcare through the VA. He stated, "This bipartisan bill will help hold the VA accountable to meet clear and transparent targets for reduced wait times."

The SCHEDULES Act aims to address the VA's failure to meet scheduling standards. In 2020, the VA updated their process for scheduling specialty care appointments, but the Government Accountability Office found that only 10% of VA Medical Centers scheduled more than 75% of their appointments within the standard timeframe. Additionally, the VA lacks an established standard for providing timely care once an appointment is scheduled.

The SCHEDULES Act includes several requirements for the Secretary of the VA. These include establishing a standard timeline for care from the moment a referral is entered until the veteran is seen for the related issue, reporting to Congress quarterly on progress implementing the new standard, and providing transparency and a performance ranking of each VA facility.

Supporting organizations for the SCHEDULES Act include the Blinded Veterans Association and the Wounded Warrior Project.

This bill serves as a crucial step towards ensuring that veterans have timely access to the care they need and deserve. It addresses the issue of long wait times and lack of transparency within the VA, ultimately aiming to improve the overall healthcare experience for veterans.

For more information about the bill, visit the official website of Rep. Scott Franklin at [link to the website].