Neal Dunn
Article by Kevin Derby, Sunshine State News reporter
Excerpt from the Article:
On Tuesday, the U.S. House passed a bill from a Florida congressman giving veterans who need organ transplants more choices in their medical care.
The House passed U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn‘s, R-Fla., “Veterans Increased Choice for Transplanted Organs and Recovery (VICTOR) Act” on a voice vote. Dunn’s proposal would give veterans needing organ transplants more access, allowing those who live 100 miles or more from VA transplant centers have their procedures done at other medical facilities though it would need to be federally certified and cover Medicare patients. Noting the current policy, Dunn pointed to his own district, which includes parts of the Big Bend, as an area where veterans would benefit from his legislation. For veterans in Dunn’s district, the nearest VA facility that performs organ transplants is in Nashville.
“The VICTOR Act is a critical step forward in ensuring transplant care through the VA meets our veterans’ medical needs,” Dunn, who served as an Army surgeon, said after the vote on Tuesday. “Medical decisions should be made between a doctor and their patient, and that is exactly what this bill does. The VICTOR Act will remove unnecessary obstacles facing veterans in need of organ transplants, making it easier for those who have served our country to receive life-saving surgery.”