Press Release

Citing the tragic death of a veteran at the Mather Veterans Affairs hospital last year, Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. introduced a bill today to implement additional accountability measures at Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country.

His bill, the VA Quality Care Act, includes additional oversight measures to ensure all problems at VA facilities are reported, communicated, and fixed across the network.

"The tragic death of this veteran illustrates problems within the VA system that must be addressed," Bera said. "My bill increases transparency and reporting so that any issues in the delivery of care at one facility are shared with other facilities in the system. The information from my requested investigation suggests that VA facilities are not sharing best practices and other quality improvement measures effectively. This bill will ensure doctors, nurses, and staffs are all operating efficiently and effectively and collaborating across health centers to deliver the best care possible to our nation's heroes."

Last October, the Sacramento County Vietnam veteran died after a do-not-resuscitate bracelet was incorrectly placed on his wrist. Bera requested an investigation with the Office of the Inspector General; their report found that Mather was responsible for a "delay in life-saving intervention".

"Our service members have sacrificed for our country and it is our responsibility to ensure they receive top quality care," Bera said. "Based on the findings in the Inspector General report, there are institutional problems that are seriously affecting the quality and delivery of care. Reporting requirements in my bill will help correct and improve care. We must do all we can to ensure this does not happen to any other veterans."

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