VIDEO: Harder Calls for More Resources for Stockton VA Clinic
Veterans at the Stockton VA Clinic have to wait more than 10 times longer for an appointment than those at the San Francisco VA Clinic
Rep. Harder pushed through an amendment that requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to come up with a plan to address doctor shortages
WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Josh Harder (CA-9) spoke on the House floor to highlight the urgent shortage of in-person primary care providers at the Stockton VA Clinic. According to the VA, the average wait time for a new patient to see a primary care physician at the Stockton VA Clinic is 73 days. For San Francisco’s VA Clinic, it’s only 7 days. For existing patients, the Stockton Clinic’s wait time is 21 days – nearly twice as long as San Francisco’s VA Clinic.
Rep. Harder pushed through an amendment in a House Appropriations Committee markup last month to require the US Department of Veterans Affairs to come up with a plan to solve the national VA doctor shortage.
“San Joaquin veterans are facing months-long wait times to see a doctor at the VA clinic and it’s unacceptable. The brave men and women who fought for our freedom shouldn’t have to fight for the basic medical care they deserve,” said Rep. Harder. “The VA clinicians and staff at the Stockton Clinic are doing everything they can with the resources they have, but the Department of Veterans Affairs needs to do more. That’s why I passed an amendment instructing the national VA to come up with a plan to tackle the nationwide VA doctor workforce shortage. Our veterans deserve better.”
Watch Rep. Harder’s speech HERE or read below.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today out of concern for the ongoing shortage of primary care physicians at the Stockton VA clinic in my district.
There are nearly 30,000 veterans that live in San Joaquin County. But earlier this year, the Stockton VA clinic went from eight doctors to just four in the span of just a couple of months.
A 50% reduction of full-time in-person physicians – completely unacceptable, leading to a caseload of over 7,000 veterans for every doctor that we have.
My constituents have been telling me that they have to wait more than 90 days to get an appointment.
Men and women who risked their lives for our freedom deserve better than months-long wait times to see a doctor.
As we consider the VA budget this week, it is clear that we could do so much more to address the workforce shortages in my district and across the country at the VA.
Our veterans deserve better. Primary care is an essential part of every veteran's medical and it is on us to make sure that care is never in jeopardy.
I'll continue to fight for the funding to fully staff our clinics until we get this done.
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