Yesterday the IAVA-supported Caring for Our Veterans Act moved forward in Congress.

The bipartisan Caring for Our Veterans Act of 2017 puts veterans’ needs first by empowering the VA to remain the coordinator of patient care wherever it can best be delivered.

Since the VA crisis in Phoenix, the future of veterans health care has been hotly debated here in Washington, D.C.  IAVA has testified before Congress multiple times over the last three years and worked with our VSO partners to develop the solutions.  The progress made this week, incorporates feedback we shared from you and from others in the veterans community, invests  $4 billion in direct care and improvements to the VA system, and finally streamlines the variety of community care programs established over the past 70 years.  

The IAVA-supported Caring for Our Veterans Act will:

• Clean up a messy system by streamlining programs and standardizing guidelines and standards for care
• Improve data tracking and reporting
• Ensure veterans will continue to have access to timely, quality care in their community
• Keep the veteran at the center of care decisions
• Ensure accountability with VA oversight and coordination of care

The bill is not yet final, but this was the first meaningful step forward after a year of playing politics.  Many changes could still take place as this measure continues to move through Congress on its way to the President.  IAVA will remain vigilant and fight any attempts to weaken VA accountability or this sound compromise on the future delivery of veterans health care.

IAVA also stands shoulder to shoulder with other leading VSOs and will not stand for moves toward privatization of the VA.

Our fight to get the best care for post-9/11 veterans is far from over. Stay tuned!