WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King today argued that a lack of health care data and the current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hiring freeze are denying veterans the benefits they rightly deserve. In a hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), King questioned Naomi Mathis, the Assistant National Legislative Director for Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and John Eaton, the Vice President for the Complex Care Wounded Warrior Project, about the lack of health care data comparing the VA direct care and non-VA community care providers. He also made clear that hiring freezes will make it more difficult for VA staff to carry out their duties, resulting in a decrease in quality care for veterans.

“This electronic medical records problem started with a no bid contract about five years ago, six years ago, that was extended by the last administration. I still don't understand why we don't go out to the market. I'm sorry you mentioned Epic Senator, because Epic is a successful medical record system that I observed in my system. Well, okay, in any case, it seems to me, in order to analyze the issue of the relationship between VA direct care and community care, we need more data. We know exactly the VA wait times and all those kinds of things. We don't have that kind of data in terms of the private sector. I know in the private sector, in Maine, it is pretty hard to get a get an appointment, and particularly with a specialist. So, I think in order to make policy here, Mr. Chairman, we need some information. We need to have cost comparisons. We need to have time comparisons, wait times. So everybody's nodding, but that won't show up in the record. Could somebody say yes,” asked Senator King.

“Yes. Senator, I wholeheartedly agree. There is no data coming back out of the community back into VA and there is no sort of accountability either when the records don't show up back to VA. So, you have a provider, a primary care provider, say at VA, that may have sent a patient out to the community for specialized care and the information when the patient comes back to VA, the information is not coming back, therefore that provider is not able to provide an accurate treatment plan for that patient,” replied Mathis.

“So we don't have a handle on cost, quality or time. Is that correct,” questioned Senator King.

“Correct, Senator,” said Mathis.

“And, by the way, when we're talking about the time of VAs responsibility and backlogs, a staff freeze isn't going to help that problem. If there are fewer people to answer the phone, fewer people to process claims, that's only going to exacerbate the problem, not make it any better. And I note that the that the administration the other day appeared to walk back part of the hiring freeze with regard to direct care providers, but to deny, but to leave a hiring freeze in effect that has fewer people responding, processing claims and those kinds of things. That's in effect, a denial of benefits itself. Is it not, Mr. Eaton,” Senator King asked again.

“Yes,” responded Eaton.

Representing one of the states with the highest rates of veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, he has been among the Senate’s most prominent voices on the need to address veterans suicide, and has repeatedly pressed for action from top Department of Defense officials on this issue. An advocate for amplifying veteran voices, Senator King held a field hearing focusing on long-term care in Maine. Additionally, last spring led a letter urging further investments in traumatic brain injury research, the signature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and introduced legislation to provide safe firearm storage for veterans. In 2024, Congress passed Senator King’s bipartisan legislation to improve veterans’ access to health care and benefits.

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