Denham Bill to Improve Healthcare for Veterans Passes House with Flying Colors

Press Release

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham's (R-Turlock) VA COST SAVINGS Enhancements Act, H.R. 5974, passed the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday evening with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill, introduced alongside Reps. Ann Kuster (D-NH-02), Mike Bost (R-IL-12), and Charlie Crist (D-FL-13), requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement new waste disposal systems that will modernize the healthcare system and better prioritize valuable resources to improve care for veterans across the nation.

"This common sense cost saving measure will shake loose millions of dollars each year that the VA can repurpose to improve care for veterans across the country," said Rep. Denham. "Those who have worn the cloth of our nation deserve the best possible care and attention, and I'm working to keep that promise."

The VA COST SAVINGS Enhancements Act requires the VA to install on-site medical waste treatment systems in all facilities, if it will result in a cost-savings. On-site sterilization machines compact medical "red bag" waste and destroy microbial life, rendering hazardous bio-waste safe. Otherwise, this infectious waste is loaded into trucks and driven to regional disposal centers -- a process that is dangerous, costly, and inefficient. System wide, this bill will save the VA millions of dollars each year and improve care for our veterans.

This technology improves crisis-readiness and is safer, more efficient, more cost-effective and more environmentally friendly than traditional medical waste disposal. Implementing this technology will align the VA with Centers for Disease Control best practices for infection control, and VA hospitals will no longer need to truck millions of pounds of hazardous waste to far-away disposal centers.

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