Kiggans Introduces Legislation to Modernize the VA

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 2499, the VA Supply Chain Management System Authorization Act. H.R. 2499 would bring much needed modernization and efficiency to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by authorizing the purchasing and implementation of the supply chain management IT system for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The systems will be implemented with a focus on inventory management, beginning with a pilot program at one location and interfacing with existing supply chain systems as opposed to replacing whole systems.

“The VA medical supply chain runs on old IT systems, making it difficult to manage in the best of times,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “It is critical that doctors and nurses have the supplies they need when they need them. However, recent years have shown us that supply chains can break, and medical providers can be left without enough supplies, putting veterans at risk. My bill would modernize VA’s supply chain IT system, focus it on exactly what doctors and nurses need, and make sure VA is being responsible with taxpayer dollars. Importantly, my legislation would avoid past mistakes that caused previous efforts to modernize this system to fail so that medical professionals have what they need to provide veterans excellent care.”

BACKGROUND

A previous effort to modernize the VA supply chain IT system was projected to cost billions of dollars and was so large and ill-suited for VA that it failed before it even got started. H.R 2499 seeks to avoid the failures of the past by requiring the Department to modernize and streamline the most important areas of the VA’s medical supply chain IT system, which will have direct benefits for medical staff and the veterans who get care at VA.

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