Hoeven SenFargo (CSi) Senator John Hoeven has announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has agreed to develop and start to implement a pilot project over the next 30 days at the Fargo VA Medical Center to address scheduling and service with the Veterans Choice Program.

The senator’s announcement follows a roundtable he hosted on Friday with officials he invited to North Dakota from the VA and Health Net. The pilot program will serve as an administrative remedy to the bureaucratic delays and confusion that veterans have experienced in North Dakota when trying to schedule appointments.

Stutsman County Veterans Service Officer, David Bratton has more information at his office, located at the LEC lower level.

On the Wayne Byers Show, Wednesday, on CSi Cable 2, Bratton also pointed out that Hoeven and his Senate colleagues introduced the Veterans Choice Improvement Act, which would make needed reforms to the Veterans Choice Program to simplify and streamline the process for veterans who need to go outside of the VA to receive care from private providers. It would also improve the provider reimbursement challenges on a national level.

Specifically, the bill achieves two important objectives:

· Consolidates redundant and overlapping programs into a single program, the Veterans Choice Program, and

· Streamlines the process by creating one funding source for all non-VA care programs.

Summary of the legislation

The provision is similar to Hoeven’s Veterans Access to Long Term Care and Health Services Act, which was

approved by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in December.

The legislation would enable skilled nursing homes and in-home care providers to accept veteran patients without having to comply with burdensome and oftentimes expensive federal contracting requirements.

Also on our show, Bratton said veterans may also work directly with the VA to resolve debt collection issues resulting from inappropriate or delayed Choice Program billing. The number for more information is 1-877-881-7618.

He added that a Living with Loss: Bereavement Support Group for veterans is available at the Fargo VA Hospital, on Friday’s from 3-p.m., to 4:30-p.m.,

Call 701-239-3700.

Bratton said his office has copies of supplement booklets for VA, Know your Benefits.

He reminds veterans that the PTSD Support Group meeting is at the lower level of the LEC in Jamestown the second and fourth Thursday each month from 12:30-p.m., to 2-p.m., with a combat veteran from the Fargo VA.

The Stutsman County Veterans Service Office is open Monday through Friday from 8-a.m., to 5-p.m. Bratton suggests making an appointment to visit with him.

Call 701-252-9030.