On behalf of more than 1,000 rural veterans in Missouri, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill called on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to address the concerns of citizens and veterans living near the Salem Veterans Clinic who want to see service expanded from three days per month to five days per week.
The clinic is the only such facility in the state not regularly open five days a week.
McCaskill shared with the VA a petition, sponsored by the American Legion Post 99, that was signed by almost 6,000 constituents in Dent, Iron, Reynolds, Shannon and Texas counties, including 1,600 veterans.
“As a group, veterans in rural communities sometimes see unique challenges, that must be addressed if we’re going to keep our promise to those who have sacrificed for our freedoms,” said McCaskill, the daughter of a World War II veteran and senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Veterans’ access to the care they’ve earned shouldn’t depend on where they live — our veterans in small towns deserve the same access to high quality care that our veterans in urban areas have.”
Aiming to continue improvements to the quality of customer service at statewide VA facilities, McCaskill last year announced the expansion of her successful “secret-shopper” program to the southwest Missouri area. The Veterans’ Customer Satisfaction Program allows veterans to share timely, confidential feedback about their VA healthcare visits, and helps provide oversight and accountability for VA health care facilities.
The survey is now active in five regions: St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Poplar Bluff, Southwest Missouri (Fayetteville). Veterans seeking to participate in the Veterans’ Customer Satisfaction Program can visit McCaskill’s website, McCaskill.senate.gov/VCSP, and complete the confidential survey.
Responses can be submitted after each healthcare visit.