Urgent Care: Concerned Veterans of Montana Call Out Tester

Darin Selnick was at the White House as a veterans affairs advisor to President Trump who helped negotiate the Mission Act, a bill that was designed to give veterans more access to health care outside of the VA.

Selnick, an Air Force veteran, says he was there as the Trump White House had to fight to get liberal Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) to support the Mission Act. Especially since Tester had long been an opponent of VA choice for veterans needing health care. Thankfully, Tester was up for re-election in 2018 so the Trump White House was finally able to get Tester to vote for the legislation.

With Tester facing re-election once again in 2024, Selnick and Concerned Veterans for America (CVA)-Montana State Director Chris Enget are hoping they can twist Tester's arm again.

Selnick and Enget, a Purple Heart Army veteran here in Montana, say that Tester is pushing a bill of his own that would actually undermine veterans' access to urgent care. They are urging Montanans to support a bill known as "The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act" sponsored by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). 

Darin Selnick: Absolutely. It's called the Veterans Health Care Freedom Act. It's well supported. It's got co-sponsors in the Senate. It's got a companion bill in the House. Meanwhile, Senator Tester's bill he has- not even other Democrats support his bill- he has no co0sponsors. So the Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, as Chris has mentioned a little bit earlier, gives you that full choice. There are no more delays. At all times you pick the VA or you pick the community care. Whatever works for you. The staff can't get in the middle of it just like urgent care. That's key, because we know with delayed care veterans can die.

 

Click below to download the full audio of our chat with Darin and Chris from CVA: