darren selnick advisor for concern veterans for america. joseph violante director of disabled american veterans mr. bill rausch who is missing in action right now for awol. political director for iraq and afghanistan veterans of america. carlos field taste of the veterans of foreign wars and we welcome all of you and we will start with you mr. butler. >> chairman nye six and ranking member blumenthal and distinguished members of the committee on behalf of our national commander michael hamm in the 2.3 million members of the american legion we thank you for this opportunity to testify regarding the american legion steel of the progress of the veterans choice program. the american legion supported the access to choice and accountability act of 2014 as a means of addressing emerging problems than the department of veterans affairs. v-8 waits for medical care have reached an unacceptable level as veteran struggled to reset access to timely health care within the va health care system. it was clear this with changes were needed to ensure that ve

darren selnick with concern veterans of america. selnick: members of the committee i appreciate the opportunity to testify at today's hearing on implementation future of the present choice program and thank you for your leadership in ensuring veterans get the quality health care they deserve. free choice health care remains remains -- like a moraitis in the desert move closer. the choice program is unsuccessful and long-term solutions. current rules pertaining to choice not present real choice. they require veterans to obtain obtain -- prefer there will to make a choice. instead they require veterans to v.a. veteran should not access permission to select health care provider. be implementation against a choice program is that a failure. for example the associate press reported gao says veterans health care costs are high-risk for taxpayers the number of medical claimants to take longer than 90 days to complete his nearly doubled 37 medical claimants have been major at 11. last fall cpa commissioned poll veterans. the results showed

darren selnick advisor for concern veterans for america. joseph violante director of disabled american veterans, mr. bill rausch who is missing in action right now for awol. political director for iraq and afghanistan veterans of america. carlos field taste of the veterans of foreign wars and we welcome all of you and we will start with you mr. butler. mr. butler: chairman isakson six and ranking member blumenthal and distinguished members of the committee on behalf of our national commander michael hamm in the 2.3 million members of the american legion we thank you for this opportunity to testify regarding the american legion steel of the progress of the veterans choice program. the american legion supported the access to choice and accountability act of 2014 as a means of addressing emerging problems than the department of veterans affairs. v.a. waits for medical care have reached an unacceptable level as veteran struggled to reset access to timely health care within the va health care system. it was clear this with changes were needed to