Noteboom The Law Firm

Bill Gives Veterans Access to Health Care Records

May 13, 2010 - Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced her Improving Veterans Electronic Transition Services Act (iVets) into the house on May 5^th, 2010. The Act is designed to simplify the veterans' switch from military to civilian life by allowing them to access their military service records via an exclusive web portal for veterans use.

Veterans would have access to more than just their service records; they would also be able to access their health and benefits records. Additionally, participants will be able to browse a veteran directory as well as communicate directly with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

While active duty personnel already have these access abilities, they do not have them as veterans. Joint lifetime medical records created by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the VA that follow military personnel as they leave the military and become veterans were started in 2009. There are currently two pilot programs testing these records and their efficiency.

Tsongas, however, says her bill has a tighter focus than just creating medical records. Passing her bill would have the DoD and the VA examine the possibility of creating an online site accessible to veterans following the already established DoD Defense Knowledge Online system.

Tsongas's bill goes beyond the recent push to give veterans better access to their medical records. Incorporating the online access based on a system veterans are already used to using would make the process much easier on all involved parties.

There have been numerous complaints about the difficulty veterans have in accessing their military service records. The entire process is often overwhelming and frustrating. If passed, this bill will make many veterans' lives much easier.