 House and Senate negotiators reached agreement during the weekend on a legislative package intended to stabilize the Department of Veterans Affairs’ sprawling and embattled health care system, according to people briefed on the deal. The leaders in the negotiations — Senator Bernard Sanders, a Vermont independent, and Representative Jeff Miller, a Florida Republican — plan to outline the agreement at a news conference Monday afternoon. A final cost of the far-reaching measure was not immediately available Sunday but is expected to be critical to determining whether the legislation will enjoy the support of House Republicans, many of whom have been concerned about dramatically increasing costs for government-run programs. enjoys a generally good reputation for the quality of its health care, a combination of factors — including a shortage of doctors and nurses, unrealistic goals to see patients within 14 days, and perverse performance and bonus incentives for managers — led to the widespread manipulation of patient wait-time data, which blew up into a national scandal this spring.
– Congressional negotiators have hit on a deal to address the serious issues reportedly plaguing Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals. The agreement in negotiations led by independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Republican Rep. Jeff Miller comes in the wake of disagreements over dueling Senate and House plans, the Washington Post notes. The new deal, set for announcement today, would allow vets dealing with long wait times or lacking nearby VA facilities to see private doctors on the government's dime, the New York Times reports. The plan sets aside $5 billion to hire new workers and calls on the VA to take on 27 new hospital leases, the Post notes. It also sets up counseling opportunities for veterans recovering from sexual trauma in the military. The agreement squeaks in ahead of a congressional recess that begins this week; lawmakers faced a push to settle on a deal before the break, the Times notes. The deal must be backed by a committee and the full Congress, as well as President Obama, before it's official.