WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 3408 - the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights yesterday.

"For far too long, our veterans have suffered prolonged hardships due to inconsistencies in the care they receive upon returning home from defending our country. That's why yesterday I introduced the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights. This bill will require the VA to post a written list of 'rights' that apply to every veteran in need of prosthetic limb and orthotic (O&P) care. While veterans currently have these rights, many veterans and even VA employees are unaware of the healthcare options offered to them - leaving the system with wide variations and inconsistencies across the country."

"This bill educates veterans of their rights and expectations for quality care and empowers them to advocate for themselves in order to obtain the most appropriate care that meets their individual needs. To ensure these rights are upheld, this legislation requires the VA to resolve all and any disputes filed against a VA clinic or healthcare provider. We must do everything we can to aid the brave men and women of our military who have sacrificed so much for our country, and this bill is just one step in the right direction."

Background on H.R. 3408 - Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights:

This legislation is a bipartisan measure to ensure veterans with injuries and amputations obtain appropriate prosthetic limb and orthotic (O&P) care. Inconsistency in care across the country is a problem frequently associated with the Veterans Administration, and this bill moves to create consistent and patient-centered healthcare.

H.R. 3408 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to post a written list of "rights" that apply to every veteran in need of O&P care. The list would be written into statute and the VA would be required to post the list of rights in every VA O&P clinic across the country, as well as on the VA website. The VA would be required to follow up and resolve any complaints by veterans who believe the VA is not meeting their O&P needs.

The rights provided by H.R. 3408 include:

• Access to appropriate O&P technology to meet individual veterans' needs
• Ability to receive care from a private O&P practitioner of choice (the vast majority of veterans receive prosthetic care through 600 contracts with private O&P practitioners)
• A second opinion from VA medical personnel as to O&P treatment options
• Have a functional spare prosthetic limb or orthotic brace, and
• Timely and efficient prosthetic and orthotic care.

Veterans currently have these rights but there is wide variation and inconsistency across the country as to how these rights are implemented at the regional and local levels. This bill simply educates veterans of their rights and expectations for quality VA O&P treatment. It empowers veterans to advocate for themselves so they can obtain the most appropriate care that meets their individual needs, and this can make all the difference in the lives of veterans with disabling conditions.

H.R. 3408 is identical to H.R. 5428, which passed the house in December 2010 under suspension of the rules and was scored by the CBO as a "non-coster."