Senate OKs Trump’s bid to expand private care at besieged VA system

WASHINGTON – Congress delivered a victory to President Donald Trump by expanding private care for veterans as an alternative to the troubled Veterans Affairs health system.

The Senate cleared the bill on a 92-5 vote on Wednesday, also averting a disastrous shutdown of its Choice private-sector program. The program is slated to run out of money as early as next week, causing disruptions in care.

The sweeping measure would allow veterans to see private doctors when they do not receive the treatment they expected, with the approval of a Department of Veterans Affairs health provider.

Veterans could access private care when they have endured lengthy wait times or VA medical centers do not offer the services they need.

The bill’s approval comes despite concerns from some Democrats that the effort would prove costly and be used too broadly by veterans in search of top-notch care even when the VA is able to provide treatment deemed sufficient.

The VA secretary will have wide leeway in implementing the legislation, which leaves it up to VA to determine what is “quality” care.

Trump said last week he will nominate acting VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to permanently lead the government’s second-largest department serving 9 million veterans.

Democrats say they intend to question Wilkie on whether he plans to “privatize” or degrade the VA health system, an issue that former VA Secretary David Shulkin says led to his firing in March.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, the Republican chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, lauded the bill as a big step toward providing veterans with “more choice and fewer barriers to care.”