Sinema Discusses VA Wait Times for Arizona Veterans During Senate Hearing

Press Release

Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema discussed with Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) current wait times at VA health facilities and the need for timely, quality care for Arizona veterans during a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.

"Veterans in Arizona, and around the nation, deserve access to timely care without a loss of quality. With more veterans entering the VA health care system each day, we need to ensure we have a plan in place to take care of them. No one should slip through the system, and no one should be left behind," said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.

During the hearing, Sinema highlighted the PACT Act -- a bipartisan law Sinema helped champion that expands health care eligibility for Arizona veterans exposed to toxic substances. Sinema also examined the implementation of new processes to ensure the VA health care system successfully treats and handles new patients.

Sinema also discussed the increased use for telehealth nationwide -- especially in Arizona -- during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how its use could improve the quality and accessibility of health care and decrease wait times for veterans. During the pandemic, Sinema worked with The American Legion to successfully secure an ATLAS Pod in Wickenburg -- extending telehealth services for veterans in rural Arizona.

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