Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH P. CRYAN
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Encourages federal Department of Veterans Affairs to extend Veterans Health Administration-Uber Health Connect program to New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution encouraging the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to extend the Veterans Health Administration-Uber Health Connect program to New Jersey.
Whereas, Many veterans across the country struggle to find reliable transportation to their healthcare appointments; and
Whereas, In 2022, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (department), through the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem, partnered with Uber Health to create the Veterans Health Administration-Uber Health Connect (VHA-UHC) program, which provides transportation for veterans to and from medical appointments; and
Whereas, The VHA-UHC seeks to reduce no-shows and late arrivals of veterans to their appointments, create convenient and positive health outcomes for veterans, and decrease expenses due to missed appointments; and
Whereas, The program is active in 10 regional Veteran Affairs facilities; and
Whereas, Through VHA-UHC, the Veteran Affairs Office in the Tennessee Valley Authority region has seen about $2.3 million in cost avoidance for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; and
Whereas, In addition to reduction of costs, the department has seen a positive impact on veterans’ health and consistency of care through the implementation of the VHA-UHC; and
Whereas, New Jersey has over 300,000 veterans who would benefit from the VHA-UHC; and
Whereas, Extending the VHA-UHC to New Jersey would benefit the veterans of this State and reduce costs for the department; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Senate encourages the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem to extend the Veterans Health Administration-Uber Health Connect program to New Jersey for the benefit of New Jersey veterans.
2. Copies of this resolution,
as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of
the Senate to the Secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
and to the Chief Officer of the Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning
within the Veterans Health Administration Office of Discovery, Education, and
Affiliate Networks.
STATEMENT
This resolution encourages the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (department) and the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem to extend the Veterans Health Administration-Uber Health Connect (VHA-UHC) program to New Jersey. In 2022, the department partnered with Uber Health to create the VHA-UHC. Through the VHA-UHC program, the department provides veterans with reliable transportation to and from medical appointments and the program is active in 10 regional Veterans Affairs’ facilities. This House encourages the expansion of this program to New Jersey to benefit New Jersey veterans.