Press Releases

Senators Warner, Kaine (D-Va.), Cardin (D-Md.), and Mikulski (D-Md.), applauded the recent OPM decision to allow federal employees to carryover up to $500 in unspent Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds from one year to the next.

The V-A reform legislation includes U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner’s (D-VA) initiative to enlist the pro bono assistance of private sector technology experts to help fix the V-A’s broken scheduling system.

“Virginia’s women have a right to make their own decisions about contraception without their bosses interfering. I’m proud to have cosponsored and voted today in support of legislation to undo the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision and restore the right of women to access basic health care."

"While the Court's Hobby Lobby decision is narrow, I believe these conversations should be between women and their doctors, not a woman and her boss. I trust the women of Virginia to make their own healthcare decisions."

Senators Warner and Kaine sent letter to Fernando O. Rivera, Network Director of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Capitol Health Care Network, and Daniel F. Hoffman, Network Director of the VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network, expressing concern over the results of the VA Access Audit report released this week.

The U.S. Senate today passed Sen. Warner’s bipartisan proposal to enlist private sector technology companies to assist the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) assess and fix problems with the V-A scheduling system.

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of nine U.S. Senators called on the Obama Administration today to accept private sector assistance in fixing the broken Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) scheduling system. In a letter, Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Al Franken (D-MN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO), urged the V-A to follow the example of the Army, which in 2010 allowed a consortium of leading technology companies to provide expertise in designing a corrective plan, at no cost to the taxpayers, to fix widespread data management issues uncovered at the Army’s Arlington National Cemetery.

“Because of the immediacy of the many challenges at the VA, we urge you to work with us to implement a similar cost-effective, private sector initiative so we can begin restoring the trust of our veterans and the American public in the ability of the VA to meet the commitments our nation has made to our veterans. Our military men and women, their families, and our veterans deserve nothing less.”

“Engaging the tech sector and the best minds from leading American IT firms produced a comprehensive business plan to help the Army modernize its workflow procedures and upgrade the data management systems at Arlington. That effort, conducted at no cost to the taxpayers, represented the very best traditions of corporate citizenship,” the senators wrote.

Full text of the letter is below, and a PDF of the signed letter can be accessed here.

060514 VA Letter by Mark Warner

In a letter today, Sen. Warner called on the U.S. Veterans Administration (V-A) to immediately improve delays in diagnosis and treatment at its V-A hospitals. A recent V-A report on consult delays since 1999 showed that 23 veterans across the nation have died as a result of delays in receiving certain medical treatments.

"Kathleen Sebelius and I became friends when we each had the honor of serving as state governors. Secretary Sebelius accepted one of the toughest jobs in the Administration, and she has continually demonstrated grace under pressure."

“I strongly urge members of the House to come to the table to find a bipartisan solution so we can get this temporary assistance into the hands of Virginia job seekers."

Sen. Warner today introduced legislation that will provide Virginia families with additional health coverage choices to best meet their financial and medical needs.

A bipartisan group of senators is urging the FDA to provide further clarity and transparency in its policy regarding medical mobile apps.

Bipartisan legislation championed by Senators Warner and Kaine to support federal funding for pediatric medical research passed the Senate today and will now go to the President for his signature.

Senators Warner and Kaine joined 19 Senators and 30 Representatives to send the following letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel regarding a change to TRICARE's reimbursement policy.

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) today announced bipartisan, bicameral support for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act. In December, H.R. 2019, sponsored by Congressmen Gregg Harper (R-MS), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Tom Cole (R-OK) overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 295-103.

Sen. Warner announced today that volunteer emergency service workers will not be required to be counted as full-time equivalent employees for purposes of healthcare coverage, which could have gutted the ranks of emergency first responders across the country. In a response to a letter that Sen. Warner sent in December, the U.S. Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service agreed to exempt volunteer emergency responders from the healthcare mandate.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following joint statement after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that some individuals who had their health plans cancelled will be automatically eligible for a hardship exemption that allows them to purchase a catastrophic plan on the health insurance marketplace. The Senators raised the issue in a joint letter to Secretary Sebelius on Dec. 19^th. In addition, Secretary Sebelius today announced that the Administration has established a dedicated hotline for consumers with cancelled plans at 1-866-837-0677:

“We are pleased that the Administration appears to have responded to the concerns we’ve raised. As a result, this clarifies an option that will help those consumers who have had their plans cancelled transition more smoothly into the marketplace. We will closely monitor how the Administration implements this option, and we remain committed to proposing responsible solutions.”

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) led a group of Senators in introducing bipartisan legislation to ensure volunteer firefighters and other first responders can continue protecting communities that rely on them.

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released this statement following the announcement by the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance approving renewal of existing health insurance plans in the individual and small business markets, allowing policyholders to continue existing coverage through the end of 2014.

"It is disappointing that the House majority is prepared to shut down the federal government in its continuing ideological opposition to the Affordable Care Act. This is not a responsible way to conduct our nation’s business.

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) introduced legislation today designed to give people with serious illness the freedom to make more informed choices about their care, and the power to have those choices honored.

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today applauded the TRICARE military health insurance program for clarifying a controversial change in behavioral health care coverage for families with children who have developmental disabilities, including autism.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine today applauded the confirmation of Marilyn Tavenner of Virginia as the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by a vote of 91 to 7. Tavenner is the first Senate-confirmed CMS Administrator since 2006. CMS oversees Medicare and Medicaid and is charged with health care services for millions of Americans.

"I applaud the nomination of Marilyn Tavenner to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Marilyn is the real deal: she began her career as a nurse and rose to become CEO of a leading healthcare company."

“I am pleased the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of health reform. I have always felt the Affordable Care Act was weighted more toward the issue of coverage and not enough toward cost containment. I look forward to now moving forward in a bipartisan way on how we can further bring down the costs of health care."

Press Releases

Sep 04 2014

~ Pro bono industry assessment of V-A scheduling process due in 45 days ~

Aug 07 2014

~ On Vote to Protect Women’s Health in Aftermath of Supreme Court Hobby Lobby Decision ~

Jul 16 2014

Jun 30 2014

Jun 13 2014

~ Measure passes as part of bipartisan Senate legislation to fix V-A ~ ~ Warner proposal modeled on successful work to fix back office mess at Arlington National Cemetery ~

Jun 11 2014

~ In letter to President Obama, Senators urge top-level private sector review of V-A systems ~

Jun 05 2014

~ Hampton’s V-A Medical Center third worst in the nation ~

May 02 2014

Apr 10 2014

~ On bipartisan Senate vote to extend unemployment benefits for five months ~

Apr 07 2014

~ Warner ‘Copper Plan’ Gives Consumers Additional Lower-Cost Option ~

Mar 27 2014

~ Bipartisan group seeks regulatory certainty to ensure consumer access and continued innovation ~

Mar 24 2014

~ Legislation championed by Warner, Kaine & Cantor honors memory of Virginian Gabriella Miller ~

Mar 11 2014

Mar 04 2014

Jan 27 2014

~ Volunteer firefighters across Virginia able to keep serving their communities ~

Jan 10 2014

Dec 19 2013

Proposal designed to allow localities to retain volunteer first responders

Dec 11 2013

On the SCC’s finding on continuation of existing health policies

Nov 21 2013

Sep 30 2013

~ Allows those with advanced illness to align care they get with care they want ~

Aug 01 2013

Warner asked TRICARE to reconsider coverage limits for active-duty families

Jul 19 2013

May 15 2013

Feb 07 2013

Jun 28 2012