Tomah VA Medical Center
A pair of Wisconsin Congressmen are backing an effort to encourage more doctors to work for Veterans Administration hospitals and clinics.
The bill from U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Reid Ribble (R-WI) would designate VA medical facilities as Professional Shortage Areas. That would allow them to recruit from a program that offers student loan repayment or scholarships for doctors, dentists, mental health professionals, nurses, or medical students who pledge to practice in a covered facility for at least two years.
Kind says the bipartisan proposal would address recruitment problems in Tomah, Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids, and other parts of the state. “We have seen a number of VA facilities turn our veterans away and stop offering vital services due to a shortage of physicians and health professionals,” Kind said. “That is unacceptable. This is a matter of fairness to our veterans – they served our country, and they deserve proper health care.”
WSAU