Bill Text: MI HR0385 | 2013-2014 | 97th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution to urge the United States Congress to investigate the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' treatment of military veterans seeking health care at facilities throughout the country.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 6-3)
Status: (Passed) 2014-09-30 - Adopted [HR0385 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2013-HR0385-Enrolled.html
Reps. Graves, Yanez, Barnett, Daley, Denby, Heise, Howrylak, Lipton and Price offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 385.
A resolution to urge the United States Congress to investigate the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' treatment of military veterans seeking health care at facilities throughout the country.
Whereas, The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been aware of a backlog of patients seeking to see doctors or have specific tests completed at several VA hospitals around the nation for several years. As many as 7,000 veterans have been on the backlog list, often waiting over a year for necessary procedures or tests. The VA admits that 23 veterans have died while waiting to see a doctor. However, many believe the number of veterans to have died while waiting to be seen is much higher; and
Whereas, It has now come to light that VA facilities have, not only a backlog of patients, but also secret waiting lists, keeping veterans' names out of the computer system until they could be seen by a doctor within the required 14-day wait time. The secret waiting lists made it appear the VA facilities were meeting their performance goal to see patients in a timely manner; and
Whereas, The men and women who serve our country deserve better than lackluster medical care or no care at all. Many of them have been injured in the line of duty and come home to face medical challenges that require timely diagnosis and care. All veterans are entitled to the best care we can give them. To be deceived by a system more interested in performance goals than health care is intolerable; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the United States Congress to investigate the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' treatment of military veterans seeking health care at facilities throughout the country; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
