This week, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, announced his support for a package of four bills that would support the health and well-being of New Hampshire's women veterans and their families.
"For too long VA has failed to provide necessary care to women who have answered the call to service," said Congressman Chris Pappas. "These bills would guarantee survivors of military sexual trauma equal access to the benefits and care they have earned, increase access to life-saving cancer screenings, and expand access to fertility care veterans and their families need. It's well past time VA ensures women veterans are afforded these benefits, and I'll keep working to advance these bills in my work on the Veterans' Affairs Committee."
Background:
The Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2021is bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would improve military sexual trauma (MST) survivors' access to benefits and health care, as well as bolster MST claims processing. Specifically, it would modify the burden of proof for survivors applying for VA disability benefits, given that many assaults during military service go unreported, so that MST survivors can have equal access to the benefits and care they have earned. The bill would also ensure all former Guard and Reserve members can receive MST-related care and counseling from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options (MAMMO) for Veterans Act would ensure access to high-quality breast cancer screenings and life-saving cancer care for veterans nationwide. Specifically, the MAMMO for Veterans Act would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop a strategic plan to improve breast imaging services, create a telemammography pilot program for veterans in areas where VA does not offer in-house mammography, and expand veterans' access to clinical trials through partnerships with the National Cancer Institute. It would also require VA to update its policies and directives for community care to ensure that those sites are accessible and have information on best practices for screening paralyzed and disabled veterans
The Veteran Families Health Services Act would permanently overturn VA's ban on in vitro fertilization (IVF), and ensure that servicemembers' and veterans' fertility treatments, related procedures, and counseling are included as part of the health benefits they've earned.
The Expanding Access to Fertility Care for Servicemembers and Dependents Act, which would expand TRICARE coverage to make Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services available to all active-duty servicemembers (including the Reserve and National Guard) and dependents, regardless of service-connection requirements, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or marital status of the servicemember.
Original source can be found here.
