Veterans health care discussed at Eastern Maine Medical Center

"It's very important for the entire country's vets much less the state of Maine, this is huge".

A session was held at Eastern Maine Medical Center today to discuss veterans having easier access to health care close to home.

They also discussed making sure hospitals in Maine are paid the millions of dollars they are owed for treating veterans.

The session was hosted by Congressman Bruce Poliquin and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Phil Roe.

"This is important to us because it gives veterans another option besides Seabrook or Togus. They can now be dispatched and go to local hospitals, community hospitals and get first class care and the hospital will be reimbursed. This is huge for a rural state like Maine."

Some say a promise is finally being fulfilled.

"In my opinion, we are finally upholding our promise. The thing is we promise veterans a lot of things, actually before they even become veterans. The problems don't always equate to the end result. So the thing is yes we had hospitals available for veterans to go to but they weren't getting paid."

"Our hospitals are looking for omissions, so if they can help take care of our veterans to supplement what Togus does, what the VA does, I'm all for it. That's why we are here."

Veterans living in rural part of Maine are the ones that are greatly affected by the current healthcare system.

"But if you live in Dover-Foxcroft, you don't. If you live in Greenville, if you live in Calais, you can go to Calais Regional. There are just not the options rural America or rural Maine lets you have in some of the urban areas."