Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Chairwoman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, opened an oversight hearing focused on the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among servicemembers and veterans. The session addressed how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working to ensure that veterans with TBI receive appropriate care and treatment tailored to their needs after leaving military service.
Miller-Meeks noted the timing of the hearing during Brain Injury Awareness Month. She stated, “That’s why I am proud to be leading this hearing on how VA can continue to lead the way in care for traumatic brain injury, or TBI.” She referenced a recent budget briefing where VA identified TBI as its top clinical, legislative, and agency priority for the year.
She expressed confidence in VA’s resources but emphasized that improving both data quality and patient care should remain key objectives: “I am confident VA has all the data, legal authority, and funding it needs to effectively treat TBI. Right now, I believe VA’s main objective should be to build on the quality of data and quality of care for the veteran.”
The chairwoman highlighted several aspects where she believes VA excels. These include specialized treatment programs, rehabilitation services, and research initiatives such as LIMBIC—a longitudinal study focusing on long-term outcomes of mild TBI. The LIMBIC program aims to better understand concussion effects over time, including risks for dementia and other neurological issues.
“VA researchers at this center have documented links between combat concussions and dementia, Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, opioid usage, and suicide risk,” Miller-Meeks said.
Despite positive feedback from some veterans regarding their experiences with VA care for TBI, Miller-Meeks acknowledged ongoing concerns about consistency across facilities. She cited findings from reports by the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), including cases where inadequate follow-up contributed to negative outcomes such as suicide among veterans with a history of TBI.
“In January, the VA OIG released a report about a patient who died by suicide after receiving mental health care at a VA facility… Yet somehow, the patient did not receive follow-up specific to the TBI,” she explained.
Miller-Meeks stressed that ensuring uniform standards in patient care remains an urgent need: “This is unacceptable. These veterans earned TBI care at VA. Their service demands better.”
She also discussed challenges related to outdated or incomplete reporting regarding inpatient beds dedicated to TBI treatment and annual spending figures—information crucial for congressional decision-making about resource allocation.
“Congress needs this information to know what resources to allocate for TBI care. VA also needs these numbers to determine the resources a hospital should get,” she said.
The chairwoman concluded her remarks by reaffirming her commitment to prioritizing veterans’ health within her subcommittee: “Under my leadership, veterans’ health will always be this subcommittee’s priority. We must eliminate preventable errors.”
She recognized efforts by specialized residential rehabilitation programs serving veterans with severe TBIs and praised leadership under Chairman Bost along with past administration officials for advancing veteran healthcare initiatives.
“When VA is on-mission, it is the best in the business for veterans with chronic and sometimes catastrophic injuries—visible and hidden,” Miller-Meeks stated before yielding time for further remarks from Ranking Member Brownley.
