A bill to support wounded warriors has been introduced by Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal. The measure would improve orthotics and prosthetics care, and expand the current workforce in those fields. Currently, many practitioners rely on personal experience and trial-and-error methods, rather than empirical data, to determine which prosthetic device will work best for a given patient. This can result in a patient being fitted for several different devices before the ideal fit is found, a lengthy and potentially costly process.
The Senators say this would give wounded warriors access to the finest medical technology and care America has to offer when they get home, after these men and women put their lives on the line for this country.
The bill would enhance research in best practices and support colleges and universities seeking to establish degree programs to train specialists. Universities receiving grants would be required to have students rotate through facilities run by the Departments of Veterans Affairs or Defense, or that hold VA contracts.
Since 2001, more than 1,650 U.S. troops have suffered combat-related limb loss in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 320,000 wounded warriors have a traumatic brain injury, many of whom require orthotic care. The number of veterans with amputation more than tripled from 2000 to 2016.
