Ernst’s Bipartisan Bill to Ensure Quality Care for Veterans Advances in Senate

WASHINGTON— After urging her colleagues to support her Ensuring Quality Care for Our Veterans Act, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) has successfully moved her bipartisan bill unanimously through committee.

“Whether at a VA facility in Iowa or anywhere across the country, our veterans should be receiving the best quality care possible—it’s the least we can do. Our bipartisan bill helps to ensure those treating our nation’s veterans are thoroughly vetted, and protect our veterans who have sacrificed so much for us,” said Senator Ernst, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate. “I’m thrilled to see this commonsense, bipartisan bill pass unanimously out of committee, and I’m urging all of my colleagues to support this legislation and help us get it across the finish line.”

“Our nation’s veterans served their country and it’s our responsibility to take care of them when they come home,” Senator Grassley said. “Veterans and their families should have confidence in their VA health care providers. Everyone can agree that accountability leads to better results. That’s why this bipartisan legislation passed out of committee unanimously. I’m proud to work with Sen. Joni Ernst as she leads the fight for better care for our veterans.”

“I was pleased that we had unanimous support in the Senate VA Committee for this legislation. Third party reviews of VA health care providers with a revoked license are necessary to ensure veterans receive the care they deserve. I am hopeful this will be quickly brought to the Senate floor and passed by my colleagues so we can continue delivering on our promise to take care of those who served in uniform,” Senator Boozman said.

“Our West Virginia veterans have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom, and we owe it to them to do all we can to ensure they receive quality care,” Senator Capito said. “The Ensuring Quality Care for Our Veterans Act will accomplish this by making sure the VA hires qualified individuals that have been thoroughly vetted. It also ensures that proper actions are taken if irresponsible care is provided. I’m thrilled the legislation has passed out of the Senate VA Committee, bringing it a step closer to becoming law.”

Background:

The Ensuring Quality Care for Our Veterans Act requires that every health care provider hired by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with a revoked license undergoes a third party review of that provider’s care. If the review determines that a competent practitioner would have managed the veteran’s care differently, the veteran will be notified. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Boozman (R-AR), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) are cosponsors of the bill.

At a Veterans Affairs Committee hearing last year, Senator Ernst urged her colleagues to support this bill , sharing the story of Iowa veteran Anthony French, who, while suffering from a brain tumor in 2017, received improper care from a VA provider with a history of substandard care.

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