We Can Make VA Healthcare More Accessible (Sen. Ken Salazar)

Across Colorado, I have heard stories of veterans braving three and four hour drives on winding mountain roads to reach the VA hospital in Grand Junction, or traveling 500 miles round trip for a simple blood test. I wish I could say these are just isolated circumstances, but they are not: Every day, veterans from rural communities across Colorado are forced to put off crucial treatment because they live too far from VA facilities and can’t get the care they need. That is just not acceptable. Rural veterans fought just as hard for our country as those in more urban areas, and they should have direct access to the same quality care. The Rural Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act of 2007 will help the VA take another step down the path to improved care for rural veterans.