PRINTER'S NO. 2502
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
581
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SCHLEGEL CULVER, BARRAR, HAHN, HEFFLEY, MILLARD,
WATSON, PHILLIPS-HILL, WARD, REESE, PICKETT, KAUFFMAN,
CALTAGIRONE, READSHAW, R. BROWN, A. HARRIS, ROZZI, KORTZ,
GINGRICH, TOEPEL, D. PARKER, JAMES, REGAN, TOPPER, MASSER,
EVERETT, COX, HARHAI AND PASHINSKI, NOVEMBER 9, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, NOVEMBER 9, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Urging the President of the United States and Congress to pass
the Permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Choice Card Act
of 2015.
WHEREAS, On August 5, 2015, Senator John McCain introduced
legislation that would make the Choice Program of the Department
of Veterans Affairs permanent, remove the 40-mile limit and make
all veterans eligible for the Choice Program; and
WHEREAS, On August 7, 2014, United States President Barack
Obama signed into law the Veterans Access, Choice, and
Accountability Act of 2014, which created the temporary three-
year Choice Program to improve veterans' access to health care
by allowing eligible veterans to use eligible health care
providers outside of the Veterans Affairs (VA) system; and
WHEREAS, The current Choice Program only considers veterans
who live more than 40 miles from the closest VA health care
facility or are told by their local VA medical facility that
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they need to wait more than 30 days from their preferred date or
the date medically provided by their physicians to be eligible
to use approved non-VA health care providers; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs has been
reluctant in the implementation of the Choice Program and has
failed to aptly distribute and educate veterans about Choice
Cards; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs has restricted
veteran eligibility to receive the card and has removed critical
funding from the program altogether; and
WHEREAS, Many scandals erupted in 2014 due to health care
delays and appointment wait times at VA health facilities
throughout the nation; and
WHEREAS, In addition to allowing veterans to see a private
physician if they cannot get an appointment at a VA facility
within 30 days or if the veteran lives more than 40 miles from a
VA facility, the Permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Choice
Card Act of 2015 ensures that the specific and unique needs of
veterans are addressed; and
WHEREAS, As the Permanent Department of Veterans Affairs
Choice Card Act of 2015 will make the Choice Program permanent,
lingering uncertainty about this program will be removed,
leading to a faster implementation of private care options for
veterans; and
WHEREAS, On far too many occasions honorable veterans of the
United States Armed Forces have not been able to access quality
health care in a reasonable time frame; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the President and the
Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to support the passage of
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the Permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Choice Card Act of
2015; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the President, to the presiding officers of each house of
Congress and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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