Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), a United States Army veteran, issued the following statement regarding a new U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs report, which recommends cuts and relocation of certain services offered at the Northport VA Medical Center (VAMC):
“Veterans across Long Island rely on the Northport VA and its array of healthcare services to survive and thrive," Zeldin said. "Cutting off essential services, without convenient and reliable replacements, would be devastating to the people who have been willing to sacrifice everything on behalf of our nation. I will do everything in my power to prevent this from happening, and I will work in conjunction with our large veterans community on Long Island to determine the best path forward. Access to care for Long Island veterans cannot be eroded in any way, shape or form.”
Some of the report’s main recommendations pertaining to Northport VA can be found below:
- Downsizing and reorganizing Northport VAMC to become a subacute care facility.
- Moving inpatient medical/surgical procedures from Northport VAMC to community facilities, such as Stony Brook and Winthrop.
- Transitioning other services from Northport VAMC to the St. Albans VAMC in Queens and community partners.