On November 18 the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill with an extensive list of changes to how the Department of Veterans (VA) delivers healthcare and benefits. The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act pulls together several bills that lawmakers introduced to Congress.
“Among its provisions, the Dole Act would expand pay flexibilities for some VA healthcare workers, and would set new standards for how the VA provides care to veterans,” Jory Heckman of the Federal News Network explained. “The bill would also require the VA to develop a plan to expand same-day scheduling for medical appointments.”
“The Dole Act requires each VA physician, podiatrist, optometrist, and dentist to receive an annual pay evaluation, and would give VA more flexibility to offer pay awards, as well as recruitment, retention and relocation bonuses to these healthcare workers,” Heckman reported on November 19.
“Many provisions in this bill would improve care and benefits for veterans and survivors, and we believe some provisions would save lives. Certain components of this bill, such as the expansions for caregivers, are long overdue,” Pat Murray, director of VFW’s National Legislative Service, said in a statement.
