Health Care

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Action Alert

Support H.R. 5250 and S. 2903, bills to make VA health care funding mandatory
Please Use the Prepared E-mail Message to Ask your Representative and Senators to Support this Worthy Goal


http://capwiz.com/dav/index/home//




On July 26, Congressmen Christopher Smith (R-NJ), and Lane Evans introduced H.R. 5250, the Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act of 2002. This measure would make funding for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care mandatory, to ensure a guaranteed adequate level of funding for veterans? health care. We encourage you to write your member of Congress, with the exception of those Members listed above, to ask him or her to co-sponsor, actively support, and ensure the passage of this important legislation this year.

Access to priority health care for our nation?s service-connected disabled veterans has been seriously eroded over the years due to insufficient health care funding. The veterans health care system is in crisis. Continued budget shortfalls, combined with rising costs for medical care and increased demand for VA health care, have resulted in unprecedented waiting times for routine and specialty care nationwide. According to VA over 300,000 veterans are either waiting for their first appointment or must wait at least six months for care. Additionally, VA reports that many of its facilities have reached capacity with closed enrollment at some hospitals and clinics. But most disturbing are reports of severely disabled veterans having to wait months, and, in some cases, more than a year, for basic health care and specialized services.

DAV believes it is disingenuous for our government to promise health care to veterans and then to make it unattainable because of inadequate funding. Rationed health care is no way to honor America?s obligation to the brave men and women who have so honorably served our nation. Mandatory funding for VA health care will help to ensure timely access to quality health care for our nation?s service-connected disabled veterans.

S. 2903, a companion bill to H.R. 5250, was introduced in the Senate by Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD).

PLEASE SEND THE PREPARED MESSAGE TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATORS TODAY!