Tag: Health Care

Daines’ Bill to Reform Veterans Choice Act Receives First Legislative Hearing

  U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines’ legislation to improve health care services for America’s veterans today received its first legislative hearing in the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.  Daines’ bill, the Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016 makes major changes to the Veterans Choice Program, which was created in 2014 to allow veterans to get needed health care outside of the VA system, and creates a permanent program with advance funding.  More information on the legislation is available here. Additionally, the Express Appeal Act of 2016, cosponsored by Daines, received a legislative hearing in the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs committee today. The Express

Daines Works to Improve Federal Cooperation with Indian Country

U.S. SENATE —Senator Steve Daines today fought to improve Montana’s tribes’ sovereignty, pressing the Obama administration to work more collaboratively and efficiently with Montana’s tribes relating to health care and management of tribal forests.  During two different Senate Committee hearings today, Daines called on witnesses to improve stewardship of federal funds while working to alleviate some of the challenges associated with wildfires in Indian Country. U.S. Indian Health Service Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Request: Click here to download Daines’ remarks. Click here to watch Daines’ remarks.  During this morning’s Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies hearing on the Indian Health

Daines Announces over $3.9 Million DHHS Grant for Yellowstone County Health Center

US. SENATE – Senator Steve Daines today announced over $3.9 million in funding for Montana community health centers in Yellowstone County. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will provide RiverStone Health Center in Yellowstone County with funding to improve community health and public healthcare services. “Montana’s community health centers provide critical health care services to thousands of Montanans,” Daines stated. “This grant will give the Yellowstone County community the needed resources to better serve Montanans with reliable, quality care.” RiverStone Health will receive $3,925,417 in discretionary funding for administrative changes that will help the health center provide Yellowstone

Daines Helps Introduce Veterans Choice Improvement Act

U.S. SENATE —Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) today introduced legislation to improve health care services for America’s veterans. Daines’ bill, the Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016 makes major changes to the Veterans Choice Program, which was created in 2014 to allow veterans to get needed health care outside of the VA system, and creates a permanent program with advance funding.  It makes changes and reforms to address the bureaucratic delays, hassles and confusion that veterans continue to experience in attempting to get health care. “Problems with the Choice Act is the number one concern I hear from veterans in Montana,” Daines stated. “We need to

Daines, Gillibrand, Gibson, Valadao Urge VA to Clarify Decision Against Providing ‘Blue Water’ Veterans VA Benefits

U.S. CONGRESS — U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Representatives Chris Gibson (R-NY) and David Valadao (R-CA) today are urging the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to clarify their misguided decision against providing “Blue Water” Navy veterans with the disability and health care benefits that they deserve for diseases linked to Agent Orange exposure. In a letter to VA Secretary Bob McDonald and Deputy Secretary Gibson, the members request the VA to clarify how they came to their conclusion ruling against providing care to “Blue Water” Navy veterans. On February 5, Daines and Gillibrand received a letter from VA Secretary

Daines, Gillibrand Call on Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to Act on Their Bill to Help Thousands of “Blue Water” Vietnam Vets

Senators’ Call Follows VA Officials’ Refusal to Reverse Ruling to Extend VA Benefits to “Blue Water” Vets  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today called on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to immediately take up their legislation to ensure “Blue Water” Navy veterans are made eligible for service-connected disability Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and health care as a result of Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War. Daines’ and Gillibrand’s call follows a request urging the VA to reverse a 2002 rule excluding “Blue Water” veterans from the VA benefits to which they should be entitled.

Daines: Systemic Failures at Indian Health Service are Unacceptable

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today pushed Indian Health Service (IHS) officials on the agency’s persistent shortcomings in providing quality reliable access to health care services for tribal members across the nation and called on IHS to urgently implement much-needed reforms to address the deficiencies plaguing the agency.  During a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on the substandard quality of Indian health care in the Great Plains, Daines condemned the systemic failures at IHS that have led to inadequate care for tribal members across Montana. Click here to download Daines’ remarks. Click here to watch Daines’ remarks. “Problems like this have been happening for

Tester, Daines continue delivering on their promises to “Blue Water Navy” veterans

(U.S. Senate) – Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines are working to deliver on the promises they’ve made to “Blue Water Navy” veterans by restoring their eligibility for service-connected disability benefits and health care as a result of Agent Orange exposure.  “Blue Water Navy” veterans served in the waters offshore during the Vietnam War.  In a letter to VA Secretary Bob McDonald, Tester and Daines urged the VA to reverse a 2002 rule that excluded “Blue Water Navy” veterans from the VA benefits and care to which they should be entitled.  The 2002 rule extended coverage only to Vietnam veterans

Daines Applauds House Passage of Bill to Repeal Obamacare

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today hailed the House of Representative’s passage of legislation that repeals Obamacare, puts states on a glide path toward creating locally driven health care solutions and reduces the deficit by $516 billion over 10 years.  “Today marks the first time an Obamacare repeal bill will be on President Obama’s desk for his signature,” Daines stated. “I commend my colleagues in the House for joining me in standing up for the American people and fighting to protect hardworking families from rising health care costs, senseless fines and substandard care. It’s now up to President Obama to decide whether he’ll put

Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Rick Young of Forsyth

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today honored Rick Young of Forsyth, a U.S. Marine, for his dedicated efforts to expand quality health care for all Montana veterans. Despite suffering from a serious illness himself, Rick was able to successfully advocate for area veterans to receive long-term care through the Rosebud Health Care Center (RHCC) in Forsyth. RHCC recently established a contract with the VA, which now allows for veterans to receive long-term care in Forsyth rather than having to travel a greater distance to the approved Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility in Glendive. Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week