INDIANA, (WOWO): Senators Joe Donnelly and Dan Coats are still waiting for a response from the V.A., following their letter sent to Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson, requesting a face-to-face briefing to get an assessment of Indiana’s VA health facilities.

This followed Donnelly and Coats’ joint letter to then-VA Secretary Eric Shinseki on May 20th, which also went unanswered.

Meanwhile, the Senate has passed a bill designed to reduce wait times and increase accountability. Among other things, the bill would authorize the VA to hire more doctors in areas with shortages. It would also enable Veterans to get care from certain non-VA providers if they experience long wait times for an appointment or live more than 40 miles from a VA health facility.