Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) is cosponsoring legislation that would improve healthcare access for veterans by easing various restrictions and improving the availability of mental health resources.
The bill, named the "Veterans' Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers" (ACCESS) Act, has several provisions, including establishing a baseline for community care standards.
Additionally, the list of criteria the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must consider when determining whether it is in a veteran's best medical interest to refer a veteran to the community is expanded to include the veteran's personal preferences.
Finally, the ACCESS Act improves access to lifesaving treatment for mental health issues and addiction that leave veterans at a high risk of suicide.
Rep. Bilirakis and Representative Mike Bost (R-IL) were inspired to introduce the bill after hearings in both the House of Representatives and Senate with veterans, their families, and advocates who spoke of long wait times and restrictions on community care referrals that made VA care hard to come by.
In his press release, Rep. Bilirakis said, "When I've met with veterans throughout my district, they have consistently shared horror stories about the many barriers they have too often faced when seeking treatment through the community care program."
As a result, the Florida Congressman added, "This important legislation will help remove those barriers and ensure that veterans have access to the high-quality care they've earned and deserved."
In December, Bilirakis pushed for the advancement of his popular bipartisan Major Richard Star Act, which rectifies an issue where every dollar combat-injured veterans receive as disability pay is a dollar taken from retirement pay they would receive later, which the Florida Congressman called an "unfair offset," to the floor of the House for a vote.
"They're losing a portion of their pension, either a portion of their pension, they don't get the full 100% or a portion of their VA disability. They have to choose one or the other, whichever one they take, and that's bullsh*t," the Florida Congressman fumed to The Floridian in May.
