WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – joined Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in introducing legislation to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to consider continuity of health care when deciding whether seeing a provider in the community is in a veteran’s best medical interest.

Under current law, there are several criteria that VA is required to take into account when determining whether it is in a veteran’s best medical interest to seek care outside of a VA medical facility. The Ensuring Continuity in Veterans’ Health Act would add continuity of care to that criteria, which would help veterans who have been engaged in care in the community be able to continue receiving treatment from their community care provider.

“I am hearing from more and more veterans in Kansas and across the country who are finding it harder to receive the care they are entitled to from VA and who are being cut off from their community providers,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation would help veterans maintain care with the doctors and nurses they have come to trust by requiring VA to take continuity of care into account when evaluating veterans for community care referrals. I am thankful to my colleague, Sen. Rubio, for introducing this legislation and for his support of our nation’s veterans.”

“Our veterans have sacrificed so much for this country and often have PTSD or other mental health issues as a result,” said Sen. Rubio. “Addressing mental health issues takes trust and time. The Ensuring Continuity in Veterans’ Health Act will ensure our veterans can continue receiving care from their long-term providers that they have established a trusted relationship with.”

The legislation was also cosponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

Sen. Moran recently worked to make certain a veteran from Manhattan, Kansas, who had been receiving cancer treatment in the community, was allowed to continue his treatment in the community rather than travel an hour to-and-from the Topeka VA Medical Center for his final two treatments. Sen. Moran discussed this issue on the Senate floor. His remarks can be found here.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

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