FOR RELEASE: January 24, 2002

EVANS INVITES SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO MEET WITH WESTERN ILLINOIS VETERANS TO EXPLAIN MERGER OF VETERANS HEALTH NETWORKS

Congressman Blames Shortfalls in VA Health Care Budget for Necessitating Change

Washington, DC - Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL) questioned the Secretary of Veterans Affairs’ recent decision to integrate two networks that serve veterans in the Midwest and demanded additional information for local veterans, VA employees and others affected by the decision.  In a letter to Secretary Anthony Principi, Evans urged the Secretary to visit Western Illinois to share this information publicly and to respond directly to the concerns of veterans and others. 

Under VA’s business plan for the integration, the Central Plains Health Network, which serves many veterans who live in Western Illinois, will merge with the VA Upper Midwest Health Care Network headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The headquarters of the new network will be located in Minneapolis and the former network director, Randy Petzel, MD will serve as the interim director of the newly integrated network.  VA officials today expressed the view that the merger should seem “invisible” to veterans.  The merger is not expected to radically change health care delivery for local veterans, nor does VA expect to close hospitals as a result of the merger. 

Evans blamed “chronic underfunding in both networks” for necessitating the change.  Both of the affected networks have requested supplemental appropriations from VA’s National Reserve Fund for the past three years, including fiscal year 2002.  The two Midwest networks are two of the five requestors for additional funding.  

“Both the Administration and Congress must address the root cause of the insufficient delivery of care to veterans nationwide—the chronic underfunding for the VA medical care budget.  I  encourage President Bush to request a veterans health care budget that fully meets veterans needs.  Without adequate resources, our veterans will not receive the timely and quality medical care they have earned and deserve, “ Evans said.    

In defense of the merger proposal, VA officials cited the need to fill a critical leadership void that has existed in the Central Plains network for the last 17 months.  Evans expressed doubts that the proposed merger would have any effect on the funding available for clinical programs within the newly integrated network.  

Evans is primarily concerned that the decision would affect Western Illinois’ recognition within the new network.  “Travel to Minneapolis to participate in VISN-sponsored events will be even more difficult than the current treks to Iowa City or Omaha, Nebraska.  These geographic barriers may impede local veterans’ access to network officials and alter their participation in consumer advisory groups and other policy and management forums.” 

Evans asked the Secretary to come to Western Illinois and explain his decision, as well as to outline the expected benefits to accrue to veterans resulting from the merger, in the very near future.  Evans also requested a detailed communications plan for veterans throughout the two networks. 

“These are called veterans integrated service networks for a reason,” stated Evans.  “Veterans have earned the right to be fully informed of changes that may affect their health care delivery.”

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