Wichita Standard

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Angus King have introduced legislation aimed at expanding veterans' access to exams necessary for the disability claims process. The bill seeks to make permanent a pilot program created in 2020 to expand license portability requirements for medical professionals conducting disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Sen. Moran emphasized the importance of timely and quality care for veterans, stating, “Veterans deserve access to timely, high-quality care and a greater ability to choose when, where and how to use the benefits they earned through their service.” He highlighted that the legislation would help address the backlog of benefit claims decisions by allowing more veterans to receive care and benefits promptly.

Sen. King echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the obligation to support veterans with minimal bureaucracy and delays. He stated, “By allowing them to use any VA approved licensed medical professional to perform their benefits exam...we can help alleviate the backlog and ensure our veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned in a timely manner.”

The pilot program, initially introduced in the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, granted VA and its contract vendors the authority to permit certain medical providers to conduct disability exams across state lines. The proposed legislation would expand this authorization to any health care professional eligible for a position in the Veterans Health Administration, holding a current unrestricted license, and fulfilling contract duties agreed upon by the VA and the vendor.

The bipartisan bill aims to express gratitude to veterans for their service and streamline the benefits process by providing them with greater flexibility in choosing medical professionals for their exams.