Smith Hearing Focuses on VA Health Care

Smith announced that he will be introducing legislation that improves access to mental health care for returning and older veterans.

Image courtesy: medalofhonor.com

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Access to quality mental and physical health care for older veterans was the focus of a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing today chaired by Ranking Member Gordon H. Smith (R-OR).

Senator Smith conducted the hearing to identify aging veterans’ health care needs and to ensure all veterans receive access to high quality services in a timely manner.

“There is no greater obligation than caring for those who have fought and sacrificed for our country through military service,” said Senator Smith.

“While much of the focus in the media has been centered on the state of health care for our returning vets, we cannot forget those who served in the wars of our past. I am deeply concerned by deficiencies in the VA system that obstruct access to timely physical and mental health care. After surviving a war, it is an extreme injustice for our vets to have to battle for health care when they return home.”

The hearing, “Veterans' Health: Ensuring Care for our Aging Heroes,” built upon a veterans’ mental health care field hearing and roundtable discussions Senator Smith previously held at the Portland and White City Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Centers in Oregon this past July.

At today’s hearing, testimony from Mr. Larry Reinkemeyer, Director of the Kansas City Office of Audit at the Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs, revealed that the Veterans Health Administration was under-reporting wait times for veterans in need of services. They also found that many veterans are waiting longer than the prescribed 30-day period for certain conditions.

Dr. Mark S. Kaplan, Professor of Community Health at the Portland State University, released new information from a report that he issued earlier this year on veterans and suicide. His initial reporting found that nationally veterans have twice the rate of suicide as similar non-veterans. Dr. Kaplan revealed new findings today that showed the proportion of suicides involving firearms was significantly higher among veterans than nonveterans (71.5 percent vs. 55.7 percent) and among female veteran suicide decedents (48.6 percent vs. 32.9 percent). Firearms account for the highest rate of completion in suicide attempts.

The committee also heard testimony from former Senator Robert Dole who offered his perspective as a World War II veteran as well as his work as co-chair of the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors.

In response to the hearings, Senator Smith announced that he will be introducing legislation that improves access to mental health care for returning and older veterans.

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