“Excessive wait times can put veterans’ lives at risk, but state-of-the art technology that makes it easier to schedule appointments already exists and is being used in other hospital systems,” said Klobuchar. “Our veterans have earned the right to use the same technology to schedule their medical appointments without unnecessary red tape and delays. This bipartisan bill will take an important step forward in ensuring that our brave men and women who have sacrificed so much have access to the medical care they need and deserve.”
“The long wait times our veterans face are simply unacceptable,” said Ernst. “This bipartisan legislation takes important steps towards modernizing the VA’s scheduling process, adopting practices successfully used in the private sector to allow veterans to schedule and confirm their appointments online. I am pleased that my colleagues in both the Senate and the House have recognized the urgency in giving our veterans faster, hassle-free access to service. I urge the President to sign this bill into law as quickly as possible.”
Upon enactment of the Faster Care for Veterans Act, the VA would be required to commence an 18-month pilot program that would allow veterans to self-schedule, confirm, and modify outpatient and specialty care appointments in real time through the internet. This technology allows veterans to immediately schedule appointments canceled by other veterans and schedule appointments 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
