Great Falls Tribune: Tester pushes for better health care for rural veterans

Sen. Jon Tester is pushing to Department of Veterans Affairs to provide better health care to veterans in rural areas like Montana.

Last week, Tester spoke during a hearing of the Governmental Affairs subcommittee, which he took charge of earlier this year.

“We need to address chronic health care workforce shortages in rural communities and in agencies like the VA,” Tester told Dr. Robert Petzel, the VA’s top health official. “The VA made a commitment to hire 1,600 new mental health clinicians and 300 support staff. Where are we on those hirings?”