According to the VA, more than 6 in 10 veterans in Maine reside in rural areas.
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) introduced the Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act. This bipartisan legislation would help more veterans in rural areas get transportation to VA health facilities and access the health care benefits they’ve earned through their service.
“In Maine – a large, rural state with one of the highest number of veterans per capita – only veterans living in Piscataquis County are eligible for this important grant program that provides transportation to VA and VA-authorized healthcare facilities,” said Senator Collins. “By expanding program eligibility to include additional highly rural areas, this bipartisan bill would allow veterans in more Maine counties to gain access to these transportation services.”
“As I’ve sat down with veterans in rural areas across Georgia, one of their key concerns is lack of transportation,” said Senator Ossoff. “That’s why I’m introducing this bipartisan bill with Senator Collins to ensure veterans have more access to transportation services that can bring them to VA clinics and medical centers to get the care they need.”
Specifically, this bill would expand eligibility to the VA’s Highly Rural Transportation Grant Program (HRTG), which provides grant funding for Veteran Service Organizations and State Veterans Service Agencies to provide veterans transportation in eligible counties. The VA’s Highly Rural Transportation Grant Program is currently only available to counties with fewer than 7 people per square mile. The Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act would expand the VA’s definition to ensure more counties are eligible for the grant program, helping more veterans living in rural areas get transportation to the VA or VA-authorized health care facilities. The bill would also increase the maximum amount of funding grant recipients are eligible for from $50,000 to $60,000, or up to $80,000 for grantees to purchase an ADA compliant vehicle.
The Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act is backed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).
“Transportation options that many urban dwellers take for granted are non-existent in rural areas. These veterans cannot just “call an Uber” to get to the VA doctor,” said Nancy Springer, Associate Director, National Legislative Service, Veterans of Foreign Wars. “VFW strongly supports this bill that would expand an already existing grassroots program and help more rural veterans access their earned medical benefits. We applaud Senator Ossoff and Senator Collins for introducing this bill and call for its swift passage.”
“Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) proudly supports the Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act,” said Jose Ramos, WWP’s Vice President of Government and Community Relations. “Rural veterans experience unique challenges that impact their ability for accessing healthcare options through VA. This bill will provide clarity to VA’s definition of "rural" to ensure more areas across the country are eligible for grant programs that support veterans and their transportation needs.”
The complete text of the bill can be read here.
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