NAVAPD Activities During the 2025 Calendar Year
A Summary of Initiatives, Advocacy, and Legislative Engagement
Support for Congressman Takano's Physician Workforce Bill
NAVAPD actively supported Congressman Takano's “Supporting Medical Students and VA Workforce Act,” which seeks to enhance the physician workforce by utilizing commissioned medical officers from the United States Public Health Service within VA Medical Centers. The proposed legislation authorizes a scholarship program, jointly administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Defense. This initiative enables the VA to fund the medical education of Public Health Officers at the Uniformed Services University, with the expectation that recipients will serve a term with the VA upon graduation and completion of residency.
Input on Proposed Legislation
NAVAPD submitted Statements for the Record expressing support and concerns regarding multiple bills under consideration by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs (HVAC). Notable bills reviewed include: HR214, HR3176, HR5287, HR6333, HR8347, HR8481, HR9924, and HR10012.
National Standards of Practice in VA
NAVAPD was consulted for input on the implementation of National Standards of Practice across VA service lines, contributing expert perspectives to guide consistent and high-quality care delivery.
Community Care Oversight and Solutions
At the request of HVAC, NAVAPD and six other veterans organizations provided Statements for the Record addressing the intended versus actual implementation of community care by the VA. NAVAPD identified problems with current practices and proposed actionable solutions to address these issues.
Federal Workforce Retention and Compensation
NAVAPD engaged with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Workforce Management, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to offer recommendations on retaining and strengthening the federal workforce, including feedback on physician and dentist pay tables.
Engagement with Veterans Service Organizations
NAVAPD convened meetings with representatives from Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars to discuss the administration’s policies impacting VA providers and the resulting increase in community care expenditures. Invitations were extended to the American Legion and Disabled Veterans of America, who were unable to attend.
Review of Death Certification Legislation
Representative Morrison requested NAVAPD’s input on proposed death certification legislation. After thorough review, NAVAPD advised that the legislation was unnecessary and burdensome, noting that sufficient measures are already in place to ensure timely death certification.
Advocacy for In-House Veteran Care
Dr. Abate met with Senator Moran’s office to highlight the unique qualifications of VA physicians and dentists, many of whom are veterans themselves. He emphasized that veterans generally prefer in-house care, citing studies that reveal better quality, shorter wait times, and fewer complications compared to community care. Dr. Abate cautioned that unrestricted access to privatized care is unsustainable, costly, and could lead to inferior outcomes, advocating for standardized clinical approaches in determining community care eligibility.
Collaboration with GAO on Dental Care Initiatives
Dr. Abate engaged with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding mandates in the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. Topics included dental IT programs, VA’s dental insurance plan, the VETSmile program, teledentistry, veteran demographics for dental care eligibility, and barriers to expanding dental care for veterans with ischemic heart disease. Dr. Abate underscored that VA dental clinics are already operating at or above capacity and warned that further expansion without increased resources would jeopardize the system’s sustainability.
Anesthesia Care Policy Advocacy at Minneapolis VA
NAVAPD responded to changes in physician-led anesthesia care at the Minneapolis VA. Dr. Abate communicated concerns to SECVA, Senators Moran and Blumenthal, and the Minneapolis VA Director. NAVAPD met with Representative Mark Pocan, who agreed to investigate the CRNA-only anesthesia policy, and encouraged Representative David Scott to initiate an OIG review of proposed bylaw changes. Ongoing collaboration with AVAA and ASA aims to reverse this policy shift.
Concerns Over Cerner Oracle EMR Transition
Dr. Johnson, a NAVAPD Board member, met with Representative Luttrell to discuss inefficiencies and costs associated with the Cerner Oracle EMR implementation at six VA sites. NAVAPD highlighted patient safety risks due to unreliable data and continues to advocate for halting the rollout until all safety concerns are resolved.
Support for the HONOR VETS Act of 2025
NAVAPD endorsed Representative Cherfilus-McCormick’s “Health Oversight for Network Operators Rendering Veterans' Essential Treatment and Services Act of 2025” (HONOR VETS Act). Since the Choice Act of 2014 and MISSION Act of 2018, community care providers have not been required to complete foundational mental health training, resulting in less than 2% compliance. Compared to VA clinicians, community providers frequently failed to perform essential assessments and deliver evidence-based treatments, with fewer than 5% of veterans showing improvement in PTSD symptoms. NAVAPD supports this bill to increase provider competence, improve transparency, and empower veterans to make informed healthcare choices.
Testimony on the CARING for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025
NAVAPD provided testimony supporting the “CARING” (Coordinating and Aligning Records to Improve and Normalize Governance) for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025. This legislation addresses gaps in the Community Care Program by establishing rigorous monitoring protocols and performance benchmarks. The Act strengthens accountability, incentivizes training completion, and enhances documentation and record alignment, thereby enabling ongoing quality assessment and improved care standards.