Senator, VA Disagree Over VA Access

Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who leave active duty are authorized free access to medical care from the Department of Veterans Affairs for two years with a presumption that their conditions may be service connected. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has sponsored S. 481, which would extend the period to five years. He said troops need the extra three years because symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder may not surface during the first two years and veterans might not seek medical care until after two years. VA Secretary James Nicholson disagrees, asserting that the current two-year period provides sufficient time for a veteran to enroll in the system and be assigned to a priority group for future treatment. Depending upon the priority group assignment, the veteran could be required to pay for treatment.