Seven Bills Directed at Improving Quality of Care for Veterans Pass House

WASHINGTON, May 24 -- Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., issued the following news release:

The U.S. House of Representatives passed seven bills to increase veterans' quality of life and care this week with Congressman Shuster's (R-Hollidaysburg) support.

"Our veterans risked sacrificing everything they had for the good our nation," said Congressman Shuster. "Unfortunately, certain VA policies and procedures have prevented them from receiving the best care possible. If you've worn the uniform, you deserve the best treatment this country can offer.

"That's why this week I was proud to support these seven bills, which will increase access to care and decrease wait times, provide our veterans a cost of living adjustment, and help protect our retired service members from the opioid epidemic plaguing the country.

"If you are a veteran of the United States military, you deserve timely access to care, to have both your physical and invisible wounds of war treated, and should not be waiting by the telephone for months waiting on a disability benefits decision.

"I will continue to use my position on the House Armed Services Committee to support our men and women who bravely protect the nation. The Senate should waste no time agreeing to these measures so President Trump can sign them into law without delay," said Shuster.

Summary of the seven veteran-oriented bills passed this week:

H.R. 467, the VA Scheduling Accountability Act, requires that all VA facilities certify annually that they are in compliance with the VA's scheduling policies.

H.R. 1005, to improve the provision of adult day health care services for veterans, will increase access to adult day health care for veterans eligible for nursing home care, and allow these veterans to stay at home longer.

H.R. 1162, the No Hero Left Untreated Actwould create a pilot program to explore Magnetic Resonant Therapy as treatment for veterans experiencing mental health conditions. Magnetic Resonant Therapy has been successfully used to treat depression, PTSD, and TBI.

H.R. 1329, as amended, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2017ensures that our veterans who receive disability benefits be given the same cost-of-living adjustment that social security beneficiaries receive.

H.R. 1545, the VA Prescription Data Accountability Act 2017, improves the VA's current internal monitoring and information-sharing practices of prescription drugs to help protect veterans from the national opioid epidemic.

H.R. 1725, as amended, the Quicker Veterans Benefits Delivery Act of 2017, will improve the timeliness for VA compensation examinations and cut down on duplicative medical examinations that lead to unnecessary delay and cost to the disability claims process.

H.R. 2288, the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, establishes a new system to help the VA tackle the backlog of appeals so veterans waiting on a disability decision can receive their decision and peace of mind faster.

These seven bills now head to the Senate for consideration.