Bilirakis Co-Sponsors Legislation to Improve Access to Care for Veterans

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis co-sponsored legislation introduced by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), and Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), to increase access to care for Veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) providers in the community.  The Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025 establishes existing community care access standards as the baseline standard of care for Veterans seeking care in the community, increases access to life-saving treatment programs for Veterans with mental health conditions or addiction and expands the list of criteria the VA is required to take into account when determining whether it is in a Veteran’s best medical interest to refer a Veteran to the community to include Veteran preference and continuity of care. 

“When I’ve met with Veterans throughout my district, they have consistently shared horror stories about the many barriers they have too often faced when seeking treatment through the community care program,” said Congressman Bilirakis.  “This important legislation will help remove those barriers and ensure that Veterans have access to the high quality care they’ve earned and deserved.”

Introduction of the Veterans’ ACCESS Act followed recent hearings in both the House and the Senate where Veterans, family members, and advocates testified about unacceptably long wait times, restrictions on community care referrals and other bureaucratic barriers that prevent Veterans – including those with mental health conditions or addiction that put them at high-risk of suicide – from accessing life-saving care from VA. The full text of the legislation can be found here. More information on the Veterans' ACCESS Act can be found here.

The Veterans’ ACCESS Act is supported by veterans service organizations, advocates and stakeholders including: Wounded Warrior Project, The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Paralyzed Veterans of America, America’s Warrior Partnership, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, HunterSeven Foundation, Concerned Veterans for America, Americans for Prosperity, the National Defense Committee, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), and Disabled American Veterans (DAV).