Sen. Cramer sponsors bill to add VA services to critical access hospitals and rural health clinics

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Kevin Cramer is touting a bill he says will help veterans receive easier access to health care in rural communities.

Critical Access for Veterans Care Act is co-sponsored by Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana.

The bill would help veterans living in rural America to seek health care services at local Critical Access Hospitals or Rural Health Clinics.

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee is considering the bill.

Cramer says there are too many restrictions and that his bill will address that issue by using “a streamlined, practical approach which builds on existing infrastructure.

“We have a whole bunch of veterans in rural North Dakota who have to drive, some cases, 3,4,5 hours to get their health care at their local VA hospital,” Cramer said. “It occurred to me that maybe these critical access hospitals could become the VA hospital so to speak for a local community for local veterans, rather than having to have them drive all the way to Fargo.”

The bill is supported by American Hospital Association, America’s Warrior Partnership, and National Rural Health Association.