4/18/2008
Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights Legislation Gets Congressional Hearing
With lightening speed, Chairman Bob Filner of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, has introduced legislation to establish an Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights (H.R. 5730) and has made the bill the subject of a Congressional hearing. NAAOP took the lead in conceiving of the Bill of Rights as a mechanism for ensuring consistency in the orthotic and prosthetic benefit under the VA health care system. Chairman Filner supports the concept and has moved quickly to enact legislation that would establish the Bill of Rights nationwide.
At the House VA Health Subcommittee hearing held on Tuesday, April 15th, H.R. 5730 was considered along with a number of other health-related bills involving the VA. As a result of the witnesses that testified, it is clear that to date, NAAOP is joined by a formidable list of organizations that either support the bill or have expressed that they do not oppose it, including the Disabled American Veterans, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Amputee Coalition of America, the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, and the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association.
NAAOP strongly supports H.R. 5730, entitled the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights, and submitted written testimony to the VA Health Subcommittee for the record. In its testimony, NAAOP made the point that, "In order to ameliorate the impact of potentially debilitating injuries and to ensure consistent access to O&P patient care across the country, the VA should establish a set of standards outlining the expectations that all veterans with musculoskeletal injuries should have with respect to their prosthetic and orthotic needs." The NAAOP testimony continued, "This Bill of Rights will help ensure that veterans across the country have comparable access to the highest quality O&P care, the most timely service, and the most effective technology and treatments available."
NAAOP also suggested the addition to the bill of a number of enforcement provisions, including a proposal that the Bill of Rights be provided in paper form to every veteran attending an amputee or rehabilitation clinic and that each patient sign-off on the fact that they have received and read such a document.
In addition, to help ensure compliance with the Bill of Rights, NAAOP proposed that Congress direct the VA to establish a toll-free, dedicated telephone number to report instances of non-compliance with these rights. The written document provided to the veteran should list this toll-free telephone number. The telephone line should be answered at the national VA administrative office in Washington, DC, and a specific VA employee should be assigned the task of fielding these calls and acting as an ombudsperson to try to resolve disagreements.
NAAOP will continue to inform its membership of developments with this important legislation as it progresses through the legislative process. Support for NAAOP is greatly appreciated so we can continue to advocate on this and other important issues.
Prepared by Peter W. Thomas, General Counsel, NAAOP
