As a member of Congress I will fight to ensure our deserving veterans have accessible healthcare and that all of the 1.8 million uninsured veterans in this country have access to quality, affordable health care.  My plan focuses on three major areas of concern: increased access, mental health services and reducing bureaucratic delays.

• Increased Access: My plan would investigate ways to allow veterans in the VA system to access local providers instead of restricting them to traveling to a VA hospital. For example, veterans could continue their existing coverage or receive care from local providers contracted with the VA or Medicare system. Too many times, especially in our rural communities, veterans are forced to drive hundreds of miles and pass several hospitals on the way to access care.

The plan also would allow National Guard and Reserve member’s access to the VA healthcare system.  Many gave up civilian jobs when they were deployed overseas and have now permanently lost these jobs and with them their health insurance, pensions, and other benefits.

• Mental Health Services: While it is necessary to treat the physical needs of our veterans, it is as crucial to treat mental health needs. Our service members deserve the ability to access local mental health providers and to receive care from providers with whom they can establish an ongoing therapeutic relationship; a standard of care available in the civilian sector.My plan proposes to increase in the number of brain specialists available to treat Traumatic Brain Injury and to set standards of care for TBI, the signature injury of the Iraq war.

• Reducing Bureaucratic Delays: VA’s budget has been pushed to the limit in recent years by the War on Terrorism, so much so that it can not provide disability determinations to veterans in a timely fashion. I support hiring additional claims workers with improved training and accountability so VA benefit decisions are rated fairly, consistently and quickly. I support transforming the paper benefit claims process to an electronic one to reduce errors and improve timeliness.

My plan has seen real support from all over the district.  Please click here to see a letter of support from Dewey Reihn, lifetime member of the VFW, VVA and American Legion.