FOR RELEASE: December 12, 2001

HOUSE APPROVES MAJOR NEW 
VETERANS HEALTH PROVISIONS

Bill Establishes Chiropractic Program within Veterans Health Administration, Decreases Hospital Copayments for Certain
 Veterans and Provides Tools to Assist VA with 
Recruitment and Retention of Nurses

 WASHINGTON, DC - Lane Evans (D-IL), the Senior Democratic Member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, praised House approval of important legislation that allows significant new benefits for veterans who rely upon the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system.   Evans particularly heralded as important features of the bill the establishment of a permanent national VA chiropractic program and a decrease in hospital copayments for veterans with incomes that are considered “marginal” in certain geographic areas under some federal programs. 

In 1999, Congress required VA to develop a policy on chiropractic treatment for veterans to ensure veterans had better access to chiropractic services.  Since then VA policy has appeared to have a dampening effect on veterans’ access to chiropractic services.  Despite several meetings with VA and chiropractic care provider representatives called by Evans to develop consensus on a new national.

VA chiropractic policy, VA failed to take effective action to bolster the availability of chiropractic services to veterans; it has never hired chiropractors and its own statistics show that it has actually decreased both visits and the dollars spent for fee-based chiropractic care since implementing its policy.  

Evans stated, “For the millions of Americans who choose to use chiropractors—often paying for their services “out-of-pocket”—the benefits of chiropractic care are clear….We have now developed an approach that requires VA to have a permanent, national chiropractic program, and I trust VA will now ensure that veterans are better able to access these important services.” 

Evans also touted, as key initiatives, provisions aimed at improving VA’s efforts to develop its nurse workforce.  “My mother was a nurse so I well understand the demands and pressures of this vocation….H.R. 3447 will help address some of the reasons this profession is facing its current challenges—within VA and in the larger health care system,” said Evans.  

The bill requires VA to establish an expert Commission to identify solutions to some of the issues that confront the profession.  It also provides more flexible educational tools as incentives for its current and future workforce, and ensures that the Department is reviewing safe staffing patterns and practices to support its nursing workforce.  

In addition, the bill supports services for severely disabled veterans.  It authorizes VA to provide service dogs for veterans with hearing and mobility impairments.  It also extends and enhances lapsed reporting requirements to ensure that specialized services for disabled veterans remain available to meet these veterans’ needs. 

Evans, an original cosponsor of the legislation, H.R. 3447, stated that the Senate must still act on the bill, “Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001” before it is sent to the President.  

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