“Today, I cosponsored bipartisan legislation that would force the VA to adopt already available technologies that allow veterans to self-schedule open slots at VA medical centers.  The Faster Care for Veterans Act will require the VA to implement a pilot program to test commercially available technologies for veterans to schedule and confirm medical appointments themselves. This bill is not a panacea that will eliminate the problems at the VA, but it will challenge the VA to innovate and reform the bureaucratic and cumbersome process that creates barriers for veterans seeking access to care.

Earlier this week, VA Secretary Bob McDonald made horribly insensitive and out-of-touch comments comparing wait time for veterans seeking an appointment to receive medical care to tourist waiting in line for Space Mountain: ‘The days to an appointment are really not what we should be measuring. What we should be measuring is a veterans’ satisfaction... When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line?’

Wait times at the VA matter, Mr. Secretary—veterans have died waiting for appointments—and you need to do something about it.  

I have long argued that institutional reforms, real accountability, and a culture change are necessary for the VA to get back on track. But as these major reforms are fully implemented, there are simple steps that the VA can take to mitigate wait times.  

A 2008 report by the VA Inspector General estimated that 18 percent of outpatient appointment slots went unfilled due to no-shows or because facility personnel did not refill the cancelled appointments.   

As we continue to implement the systematic reforms contained in the broader Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act, we should look toward solutions, like those envisioned in the Faster Care for Veterans Act, that will leverage existing technologies to help ensure veterans can see their doctors when they need to.

Veterans need healthcare; and they have earned the best quality care available and no administration official should make light of the current, unacceptable wait times."