Senator Fischer Holds Constituent Listening Session

ALLIANCE — Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) met with veterans at the Knight Museum in a constituent listening session Wednesday to listen to the questions and concerns with the recent problems regarding VA hospitals.
Veterans from around the region gathered at the museum to voice their opinions and worries in regard to the complications they face when trying to get prompt medical attention at the VA hospital in Hot Springs. One of the issues brought up consistently during the session was the professionalism and promptness of the individuals at this location. Reductions in staff size and hours of availability had veterans concerned about their access to medical attention.
Attendees expressed their interest about how the new legislation will affect the way health care is received outside of the VA system. Approximately one-third of the patients in that coverage area were from the Nebraskan panhandle north of Scotts Bluff. The coverage area for that location also encompassed a large portion of South Dakota as well as North Easter Wyoming.
Under the new legislation, veterans will have the option of seeing an outside practitioner if the VA hospital cannot get them in for attention within a period of 30 days. The VA hospital has always had the option of sending patients to private providers, but one of the problems is the VA does not always cover all of the expense incurred during these visits. This left the veterans to pay the remaining costs on their own. The recent legislation will provide access to outside providers with a reduction or elimination of the out of pocket costs paid by patients.
“When asked if any of them had problems being seen within the 30 days, none of the vets raised their hands. They indicated a high level of satisfactions which contradicts a lot of what is being reported in the news,” explained Roger Lempke, Fischer’s Director of Military and Veterans’ Affairs.
Veterans living 40 miles or further from a VA hospital location will also be given the option of seeing a local provider, reducing time and travel expenses. This gives them access to quicker medical attention and reduces the waiting time at the hospital for all patients.
Posted on Fischer’s website was her public schedule for the state. While the sessions listed were open to the public, the sessions Fischer was holding which were not listed on were closed to the media and the general public. This is done so that the veterans in attendance will feel free to voice their concerns without worry of being quoted in the news.
“Most of the meetings are open to the entire community,” Lempke explained. “This session was closed because they wanted to make the veterans feel free to let it all out.”