VA Provider Equity Act

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1058, the VA Provider Equity Act, as amended, which would strengthen access to the comprehensive first-class healthcare that veterans deserve.

Podiatric care is one of the top needs at VA medical centers across the country. Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan report high rate of musculoskeletal ailments resulting from lower extremity injuries inflicted by improvised explosive devices.

Veterans of previous wars also experience higher instances of foot and ankle ailments caused by aging, diabetes, and service-connected disabilities. All of this leads to increased demand for podiatric care at the VHA.

However, VA struggles to recruit and retain podiatrists due to a disparity in pay and leadership opportunities in comparison to both podiatrists in the private sector and to other physicians employed by the VA.

This is because VA first established standards for podiatrists in 1976, and podiatric education, training, and practice have changed considerably since that time. Nonetheless, VA's outdated standards have remained unchanged. This has translated into increased wait times. As of 2015, 93 percent of new podiatry patients wait more than 15 days for an appointment, and podiatry is the fourth most referred-out surgical service to community care.

My bill, H.R. 1058, the VA Provider Equity Act, would make VA's doctors of podiatric medicine equal to doctors of osteopathy and medical doctors within VA in terms of pay and ensure that VA podiatrists are eligible for the same promotions and leadership opportunities as other VA physicians, which is consistent with the private sector.

This bill will make it easier for VA to recruit and retain the specialists our veterans so desperately need. In turn, this will result in better care for veterans and savings to the taxpayer, as a recent study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that podiatry services provided to diabetic patients could have saved between $29 million and $97 million in 2014, in the State of California alone.

Mr. Speaker, as the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and the rest of our colleagues in Congress continue to work together to help our veterans receive the care they need, I urge the passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1058) to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the role of podiatrists in the Department of Veterans Affairs, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1058, as amended, the VA Provider Equity Act. This legislation would recognize the professional contribution of hardworking podiatrists within the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system.

The VA standard for compensating podiatrists has not been updated in 41 years. In that time, education and training for podiatrists has been revolutionized.

As a result of the VA's failure to recognize and respond to advancements in podiatry practice, it has created significant disparities in pay and advancement opportunities for podiatrists practicing at the VA in comparison to their peers in the private sector.

Consequently, the VA struggles to recruit and retain experienced, qualified podiatrists--those we want caring for our veterans--at a time when veteran need for podiatry care is increasing.

This legislation would solve that problem by allowing VA podiatrists the opportunity to seek leadership opportunities at VA medical facilities and making podiatry pay equal to physician and dentist pay within the VA healthcare system.

I am grateful to my good friend, fellow veteran, and committee member, Dr. Brad Wenstrup, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, for his leadership in recognizing what an important issue this is and being thoughtful and tenacious in pursuit of a solution to it.

I am proud to join Dr. Wenstrup in fully supporting this legislation and urge all of my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup). Colonel Wenstrup is a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 1058, as amended. The VA Provider Equity Act is a commonsense solution to a really important problem that is plaguing the VHA--a shortage of healthcare providers.

This legislation would allow VHA to attract the talented and experienced podiatrists it needs to better treat conditions caused by lower extremity injuries.

By allowing podiatrists the opportunity to advance within the VHA while earning pay comparable to what private sector podiatrists earn, VHA can better attract and retain these providers.

I appreciate the gentleman from Ohio, Dr. Wenstrup's, work highlighting this, educating all of us on the committee, and making sure that the treatments of podiatrists between VHA and the private sector industry is aligned.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this good piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, this is a smart piece of legislation. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for his work on this.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 1058, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.