Washington, D.C.— Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) re-introduced the VA Same-Day Scheduling Act to ensure Veterans get the timely attention and treatment they deserve when they contact the VA.

“The unnecessary and costly delays our Veterans and Servicemembers continue to encounter when trying to schedule medical appointments with the VA is plainly unacceptable,” said Congressman Baird. “As a fellow Veteran, I am no stranger to these roadblocks, which is why I am committed to pushing for noticeable improvements within the VA to ensure the care our Veterans and Servicemembers receive is more reflective of our nation’s gratitude for their service and sacrifice.”

Background:

The VA Same-Day Scheduling Act improves veterans’ experiences with the VA by prioritizing customer service. This commonsense legislation guarantees that any Veteran who makes a phone call requesting care is able to schedule their appointment during that phone call.

The VA Same-Day Scheduling Act is narrow in scope to guarantee priority for an established patient of the VA. This bill is also specific to care administered by the VA to avoid issues carrying out this task related to the community care system. The VA Same-Day Scheduling Act removes any ambiguity in scheduling VA-provided care over the telephone and provides the Department considerable flexibility by making the bill applicable 120 days after enactment, allowing ample time for appropriate adoption of this law.