{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-nick-begich-co-sponsors-bill-expand-healthcare-options-alaskas", "Congressman Nick Begich Co-Sponsors Bill to Expand Healthcare Options for Alaska\u2019s Veterans", "2025-03-31", "2025", "2025-03", "Republican", "House", "AK", "Nicholas J. Begich III", "B001323", "begich.house.gov", "begich", "https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 March 31, 2025 \u2013 Congressman Nick Begich (R-AK) announced his strong support for H.R. 740, the Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025, joining House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL) as a co-sponsor. This legislation strengthens the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), ensuring that veterans receive timely access to healthcare and preventing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from restricting referrals to non-VA providers.\n\n\u201cOur heroes deserve the best possible care, without excessive wait times or bureaucratic barriers,\u201d said Congressman Begich. \u201cI\u2019m proud to co-sponsor the Veterans ACCESS Act because Alaska\u2019s veterans should never be forced to wait in line for care that is available in their own communities. This bill puts veterans first, strengthens private healthcare options and ensures that no veteran is forced to wait or travel extreme distances for care they should be able to receive closer to home.\u201d\n\nAlaska\u2019s veterans, particularly those in rural areas, often face severe challenges in reaching VA facilities. The Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025 puts veterans back in control of their healthcare:\n\nCodifying Access Standards \u2013 Ensures veterans can seek private healthcare if the VA cannot provide care within 20 days (primary/mental health) or 28 days (specialty care), or if travel exceeds 30-60 minutes.\n\nHolding the VA Accountable \u2013 Prohibits the VA from misrepresenting appointment availability to deny veterans access to community care.\n\nStrengthening Mental Health & Substance Abuse Treatment \u2013 Requires the VA to approve residential mental health and addiction treatment admissions within 48 hours, ensuring veterans in crisis receive immediate care.\n\nEnsuring Transparency \u2013 Mandates that veterans receive written notice when community care is denied, including the reason for denial and clear appeal instructions.\n\nH.R. 740 was introduced By Chairman Bost on January 28, 2025, and referred to the House Committee on Veteran\u2019s Affairs.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T00:15:27Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-nick-begich-co-sponsors-bill-expand-healthcare-options-alaskas"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9018199052661657, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}