Kaine Applauds Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Health Care for Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) applauded unanimous Senate passage last week of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation Kaine cosponsored that will cut down on wait times for veterans seeking health care, expand access to home and community-based services (HCBS) for veterans-allowing them to remain in their homes and communities-and improve pay for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care employees.

"We have a responsibility to care for our nation's veterans and ensure they can access high-quality health care," said Kaine. "I'm glad the Senate unanimously passed this bipartisan legislation I cosponsored to allow veterans to more quickly access care, stay in their homes as they age, and provide much-needed support to VA health care workers. I urge my colleagues in the House to pass this bill as quickly as possible."

The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act is named in honor of former Senator Elizabeth Dole, who has been a leader in supporting veterans and their caregivers.

Specifically, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act would:

• Require the VA to coordinate with local Programs for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), which provide HCBS, to help ensure any veteran enrolled in the VA health system can access such services. Currently, many veterans who are covered by a VA health plan and need HCBS do not have these services available in their communities.
• Require the VA to develop a plan for timely scheduling of appointments at medical facilities, to include same-day appointments.
• Improves pay for VA health care employees, by giving the VA the authority to provide retroactive pay to health care employees who exceeded annual pay caps between January 8, 2006, and December 31, 2017; require each VA physician, podiatrist, optometrist, and dentist to get an annual pay evaluation; and give the agency additional flexibility to offer recruitment, retention, and relocation bonuses to these professions.
• Bolster veterans homelessness assistance by increasing the per diem rate the VA can pay to organizations that provide short-term housing from 115% of costs to 133%. Additionally, the VA would be able to provide unhoused veterans with bedding, shelter, food, hygiene items, blankets, and rideshare services to medical appointments.
• Expand access to home and community-based alternative care programs to veterans at all VA medical facilities, including veterans living in U.S. territories and Native veterans enrolled in Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal health programs.
• Increase the amount the VA will pay for health care from 65% to 100% for alternatives to nursing home care, such as home health care, adult day care, and assisted living.
• Create a centralized website to share information and resources related to home and community-based programs and help veterans and caregivers determine their eligibility.
• Require the VA to review staffing, resource needs, and accessibility needs to ensure they are appropriately serving veterans and caregivers.
• Create a pilot program to provide home health aide services for veterans who reside in communities with a shortage of home health aides.
• Require the VA to establish a warm handoff process-a transfer of care from one health care provider to another in front of a patient, their family members, and/or caregiver-for veterans and caregivers who are discharged from or ineligible for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. This improves communication and the relationship between patients and providers.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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