FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

House Bill 3196 Approved by House Committee on Veterans Affairs


SALEM – An important measure to help Oregon’s disabled veterans cleared a major hurdle today. House Bill 3196, sponsored by Oregon State Representative Donna Nelson (R-McMinnville), has been approved by the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

“This is a tremendous first step towards ensuring disabled veterans residing in rural areas will have adequate access to the health care they have earned,” said Representative Nelson. “We owe our veterans everything for the freedoms we enjoy. It is our duty to them to ensure they have the health care they need.”

House Bill 3196 will give rural disabled veterans access to care through the Oregon Health Plan. Even though disabled veterans have coverage through the Veterans Administration, they must seek medical care at regional medical centers in Portland or Roseburg. The tremendous distances some disabled veterans must travel is an impossible burden. By allowing rural disabled veterans access to the Oregon Health Plan, they may seek medical attention from local health care providers.

“Veterans have been concerned about this for decades,” said Greg Warnock, Executive Director of Oregon War Veterans Association. “This bill provides a stop-gap solution to issues of unavailable care for veterans in rural communities. The best solution would be for the federal government to provide mandatory health care through the Veterans Administration. Mandatory care would permit any disabled veteran to see any health care provider at VA expense. Until Congress provides this level of care, we would like rural disabled veterans to have access to the Oregon Health Plan for their urgent medical needs.”

House Bill 3196 now proceeds to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.

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