Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Washington, D.C. – November 12, 2019 – Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) today introduced the Full Choice for Veterans Act to allow every veteran the option of receiving care from doctors, specialists, and hospitals in their local community instead of forcing them to stay in the VA system.  The bill, H.R. 5033, amends the Community Care Program which limits conditions under which veterans are eligible to use the program.  The bill will allow all veterans to make the choices they need and to receive access to timely medical care.

Congressman Byrne said: “Our veterans deserve the best medical care available and should never forego treatment because of bureaucratic roadblocks.  My legislation will free all our veterans from VA regulations that lock them into a dysfunctional system, allowing them to seek care when and where they need it.  Additionally, the efficiencies from cutting down the bloated VA bureaucracy will save taxpayer money.”

 

“With President Trump’s leadership, we’ve made great progress at the VA, but much more work remains.  I pledge to continue working to serve our veterans who have given us so much.”

The Community Care Program was created in 2018 to expand the conditions under which veterans can seek medical care in their local communities.  However, the subjective nature of the conditions to use the Community Care Program will leave it up to the VA to decide which veterans are able to use private medical care.  Byrne believes every veteran should have the choice to seek care in their community.

Byrne is a longtime advocate for increasing veteran access to private medical care.  He previously introduced legislation to expand veteran access to private care in 2015 and 2017.  After arriving in Washington, Byrne was instrumental in securing a long-delayed new VA Clinic in Mobile.