Sinema Working to Improve VA Wait Times
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema continues her work to improve VA wait times by cosponsoring the bipartisan Scheduling for Community Health and Easy Data to Understand for Legislators to Evaluate Services (SCHEDULES) Act.
The bipartisan bill comes after a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed less than 10% of VA Medical Centers scheduled more than 75% of their appointments within the current standard: within 3 business days from referral at VHA facilities and within 7 days for community care.
“Arizona veterans risked and sacrificed so much to keep Americans safe. We continue our work pressuring the VA to keep its promises to Arizona veterans by providing timely, quality care,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The Sinema-backed Scheduling for Community Health and Easy Data to Understand for Legislators to Evaluate Services (SCHEDULES) Act requires the VA to submit quarterly and annual reports to document their success or failure in meeting the established time standards and would publicly rank VA Medical Centers on how well each facility met standards.
Building on her successful work delivering lasting solutions for Arizona’s veteran community, Sinema introduced the bipartisan Veterans Health Empowerment, Access, Leadership, and Transparency for our Heroes (HEALTH) Act – legislation making necessary improvements to the VA Community Care program that provide predictability, stability, and certainty to Arizona veterans in need of care.
For years, Sinema has fought to hold the VA accountable to ensure it provides the care, services, and support veterans have earned. Coming from a military family and her work fighting for veterans in Congress, Sinema continues to ensure VA meets its promises to Arizona veterans.