WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) – member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – introduced legislation to permanently authorize a pilot program to expand veterans’ access to medical disability exams for veterans filing claims for a service-connected disability.

This legislation would allow any eligible health care professional with a current unrestricted license and a contract with the VA to provide medical disability exams to veterans across state lines.

“Greater access to medical disability exams will enable more veterans to receive timely, high-quality care and the benefits they have earned,” said Sen. Moran. “As more veterans file for VA care and benefits following their military service, this legislation will help increase the number of licensed, health care professionals who are certified to provide medical disability exams, providing quick and accurate exams for veterans.”

“We have an obligation to our veterans to return the service they gave to us while minimizing bureaucracy and delay,” said Sen. King. “By allowing veterans to visit any VA approved licensed medical professional to perform their benefits exam, we can help alleviate the patient backlogs and ensure veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned in a timely manner. This bipartisan bill is yet another way we can express our gratitude to the brave men and women who have served.”

In 2020, Congress created a pilot program in the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 that expanded license portability requirements and allowed certain licensed medical professionals to provide contract medical disability examinations across state lines for VA.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

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