Student Achievements
Laker Veteran is a Member of a Successful Legislative Effort to Address Concerns of Healthcare Services for Veterans
December 13, 2022
Cameron Zbikowski (Public Administration, M.P.A.) is a member of a successful legislative effort that aims to address efficiency, transparency, and accountability concerns of healthcare services for veterans across the country.
Currently, there are about 9 million veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration healthcare system. In West Michigan, there is one VA Medical Center, located in Battle Creek, with four designated patient advocates, among other staff, serving more than 180,000 vets. Patients often struggle to get ahold of overworked advocates, and the complaint process is a long and arduous one without much transparency and accountability. Cameron, having gone through this process himself as a veteran that has served 8 years in the Navy, recognized that something has to be done.
Cameron is a President Emeritus of Laker Vets, having served the Grand Valley chapter of Student Veterans of America during his undergraduate education in Business Administration. In connection with the organization Veterans of Foreign Affairs, he was 1 of 5 students nationwide to be selected for a legislative research fellowship in 2021, which resulted in the crafting of two bills aiming to address the issue.
H.R. 5754, named the Patient Advocate Tracker Act, addresses the process of complaint. This bill allows for an online submittal where patients can submit their complaints directly to the patient advocate. This streamlines the process, freeing up advocates from having to answer numerous voicemails of veterans trying to get ahold of them, and allows veterans to easily track where in the process their complaint is at any given point. “If you can track your pizza from the time you ordered until the time it is delivered, you should be able to track your complaint… from the time you filed it until the time it is resolved… to me it seems like common sense legislation,” said Cameron. H.R. 5754 was introduced in October 2021, passed the House of Representatives 411-1, passed the Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent, and was signed into law by President Biden on September 16, 2022.
H.R. 5755, named the Veterans Patient Advocate Act, aims to address staffing issues in the VA. It will designate at least one advocate for every 13,500 veterans enrolled in the system. This bill is currently with the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Senator Debbie Stabenow recently introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate. Cameron is hopeful about the bipartisan support for H.R. 5755 and is looking forward to its progress with the new Congress in 2023.
This momentous achievement carries an amazing feeling for Cameron. He did not see himself in this field, drafting and advocating for legislation like this, and working directly with members of Congress on the hill. “It just goes to show, I think, that anybody, no matter your background or your status, can take an idea and make a difference. Whether it be in your local community, or whether it be in the halls of Congress,” he encouraged.
This exceptional Laker is continuing his education at Grand Valley with a Master of Public Administration degree. He will also continue to serve his veterans both locally and nationally as a Program Coordinator for Student Veterans of America’s National Headquarters and as the Assistant Legislative Director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Michigan.
Thank you so much for your service to our country, veterans, and students, Cameron! We cannot wait to see your future Laker Effect for the community!