March 22, 2017

Ranking Member Walz Warns Republican Healthcare Bill Could Hurt Millions of Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement expressing concern over the House Republicans rush to pass American Health Care Act (AHCA) to floor of the House of Representatives and to warn of the negative consequences the bill will have on millions of veterans and their families across the United States:

“This rushed amendment, crafted in the middle of the night in a desperate attempt to prevent this unpopular bill from failing on the floor tomorrow, will hurt veterans. For some veteran families, it will leave them with no affordable insurance options. For others, it will prevent them from having the choice of where to seek care. These are the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our nation in uniform. We can put our partisan differences aside and agree that they should be held harmless in any changes we make to our nation’s health care system. I call on my Republican colleagues to immediately address this issue before moving forward with any health care related legislation.”

Last night, Republicans introduced an amendment to the AHCA that would prohibit veterans who are “eligible” to receive VA care from receiving any tax credits to help pay for care outside the VA, even if they are not enrolled in the VA. In addition to preventing veterans from access to affordable health care options, forcing veterans to seek care at the VA could create a significant influx of veterans enrolling in the VA at a time when the VA is not equipped to enroll them quickly. This is particularly a concern in light of President Trump’s hiring freeze.

The Paralyzed Veterans of America sent this letter to House leadership today outlining their concerns with the legislation.

 

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