Rep. Bill Owens (D-Plattsburgh) is asking the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee to consider granting veterans access to non-VA healthcare facilities due to the distances veterans in rural areas sometimes have to travel for services,

Owens sent a letter to Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Rep. Jeff Miller recommending that such legislation consider the distance veterans have to travel for routine procedures.

Owens, an Air Force veteran representing the North Country’s huge 21st Congressional District, says now veterans in the northernmost regions of New York State sometimes often face unreasonable burdens to access routine services.

“In many rural communities, veterans must drive several hours each way to receive routine care in an urban hospital that can be easily and more cost-effectively managed by existing rural hospitals,” said Owens. “Between travel and wait times, a veteran can easily spend 12 to 14 hours seeking routine care such as an MRI, colonoscopy or lab work. This is a strikingly inefficient use of our healthcare system.”

A Veteran in Massena, for instance, faces a drive of more than 160 miles to receive care at the Syracuse VA Hospital.

“In light of this situation, and the broader issue of inexcusable wait times at VA facilities, I respectfully request that any legislative fix you pursue provides rural veterans the option to receive care at the nearest hospital to his or her home, when that care is unavailable at a local VA clinic.”

A news release from Owens says he has been exploring this concept with hospital CEOs in the 21st Congressional District for several years after meeting with local veterans about their access to care.