Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (IN-02), member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and conferee on the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Conference Committee, released the following statement in reaction to an Associated Press Story regarding extended wait times at the South Bend Community Outpatient Center:
“There is no excuse for veterans to have to wait over a month to see a doctor and receive care. This problem has originated from a lack of accountability and transparency by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) which can only be fixed by implementing the bipartisan law we passed last year to help our men and women receive care in a timely fashion. That’s why I am asking that the VA to abide by the law which clearly states that a veteran who attempts to schedule an appointment at their VA and must wait more than 30 days currently has the option to obtain care from a non-VA provider. Let me also make clear, if a vet chooses to wait for an appointment with the VA, that’s entirely their choice, but if they want to see a doctor faster, they certainly have the option to seek private care.”