[StBernard] Melancon Votes for Veterans Health Care Bill

[Westley Annis]

	WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon voted today in favor of
the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act (H.R. 1538) to improve the health care
our veterans receive.  This bipartisan bill responds to the problems brought
to light at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other military health
care facilities by including provisions to:  1) improve the access to
quality medical care for wounded service members who are outpatients at
military health care facilities; 2) begin the process of restoring the
integrity and efficiency of the disability evaluation system and taking
other steps to cut bureaucratic red-tape; and 3) improve the transition of
wounded service members from the Armed Forces to the VA system.  
	 
	"We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our nation's veterans and
it is our duty to provide them with the high-quality health care they
deserve," said Rep. Melancon.  "I've talked to many veterans in south
Louisiana who are discouraged and frustrated with the red tape they have to
deal with at the VA.  Disabled veterans shouldn't have to wait for months to
get the benefits they more than earned."
	 
	Rep. Melancon concluded, "This bill, combined with the funding for
veterans health care we added to the Iraq Supplemental, will be a shot in
the arm for the overwhelmed and underperforming veterans' health care
system."
	 
	Last week, Rep. Melancon voted for the $1.7 billion in additional
funding for veterans' health care contained in the Iraq Emergency
Supplemental.  The funding will support the health care needs of veterans
returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, including money for better mental
health care and resources to improve VA health care facilities.
	 
	The Wounded Warrior Assistance Act will help our nation's veterans
by:  
	 
	o       Improving the system of case managers for wounded service
members. The bill improves the training and reduces the caseloads of medical
care case managers for outpatient wounded service members, so that service
members and their families can get the help they need when they need it.
For example, the bill requires that case managers for outpatients handle no
more than 17 cases and review each case at least once a week to better
understand patient needs.
	 
	o       Creating a system of patient advocates.  The bill also
creates a system of patient advocates for outpatient wounded service
members.  These advocates are there to fight, when necessary, to ensure that
outpatients get the right treatment.  The bill limits patient advocates to a
caseload of no more than 30 outpatients.
	 
	o       Beginning the process of reforming the disability evaluation
system.  The bill begins the process of reforming administrative processes
in order to restore the integrity and efficiency of the disability
evaluation system.  For example, the bill requires DOD to establish a
standardized training program and curriculum for those involved in the
disability evaluation system.
	 
	o       Improving the transition of wounded service members from the
Armed Forces to the VA.  Finally, the bill takes some substantive steps in
reducing the turmoil of being transferred from military to veterans' medical
care for service members who are discharged.  The bill creates a formal
transition process from the Armed Forces to the VA for service members who
are being retired or separated for health reasons.  The transition is to
incl! ude an official handoff between the two systems with the electronic
transfer of all medical and personnel records before the member leaves
active-duty.  
	 
	o       Establishing a toll-free hot line.  The bill requires DOD to
establish a toll-free hot line for reporting deficiencies in facilities
supporting medical patients and family members, requiring rapid responses to
remediate substantiated complaints.
	 
	o       Establishing independent medical advocates.  The bill also
establishes an independent medical advocate to serve as a counselor and
advisor for service members being considered by medical evaluation boards.
	 
	o       Calling for improved training. The bill requires DOD to
recommend annually improvements in the training of health care
professionals, medical care case managers, and patient advocates to increase
their effectiveness in assisting recovering wounded warriors.  The bill, at
a minimum, requires DOD to make recommendations about improving training in
the identification of post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal tendencies,
and other mental conditions among recovering service members.
	 
	o       Creating an Army Wounded Warrior Battalion pilot program.
The bill requires the Army to establish an Army Wounded Warrior Battalion
pilot program at an installation with a major medical facility modeled after
the Wounded Warrior Regiment program in the Marines.  The unit is intended
to track active-duty soldiers in "outpatient status" who still require
medical care.
	 
	 
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