The Blinded Veterans Association joined Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, and the Wounded Warrior Project this week in support of a bipartisan and bicameral bill that would require the VA Secretary to establish a comprehensive standard for timing between medical referrals and appointment times for care at VA facilities, and to submit a report outlining VA compliance with that standard. 

S. 3598, Scheduling for Community Health and Easy Data to Understand for Legislators to Evaluate Services (SCHEDULES) Act, was introduced on Wednesday by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and co-sponsored by Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA). Representative Scott Franklin (D-FL-18) is leading a similar effort in the House of Representatives.

The bill is based on reports from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that highlighted issues relating to timeliness in accessing care for veterans. The reports revealed that most VA Medical Centers were unable to meet the Veterans Health Administration’s own standard for community care appointments. For example, fewer than 40 percent of the VA Medical Centers scheduled more than half of their community care appointments within the seven-calendar day accepted schedule; and fewer than ten percent of the VA Medical Centers scheduled more than 75 percent of their appointments in compliance with the standard.

For additional information, available in a press briefing released by Senator Scott that includes comments from BVA Executive Director Don Overton, officials of the three other Veterans Service Organizations lending their support, and the three members of Congress, click here.