House panel hears that VA vendor payments, pricing and a sudden trade‑in policy change are disrupting adaptive vehicle access for veterans

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers and industry witnesses told the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity on Wednesday that recurring delays in VA payments to mobility dealers, an outdated reimbursement price schedule and a sudden change to the vehicle trade‑in policy threaten veterans' access to adapted vehicles.

The complaint came from dealers and manufacturers who testified that VA invoices are being paid months — and in some cases years — late and that a 2024 policy change lengthening the eligible trade‑in cycle has surprised veterans and dealers. Craig Scrimsher, president of North American Manufacturing for BraunAbility, told the panel the company’s dealer network reported roughly $11 million in past‑due payments in a study of 89 dealerships and an average delay of 186 days. He said the VA published a price schedule based on 2021 data that was not released until 2024 and that commercial vehicle inflation since then has not been reflected.

Why it matters: veterans rely on adapted vehicles to travel independently, access jobs and health care. When dealers do not receive timely payment, they may stop contracting with VA, reducing local availability of the specialized conversions and repairs veterans need.

Scrimsher described the effect on veterans through the experience of a former Special Forces soldier, saying the policy shifts “felt like stripping away their hard‑earned benefits.” He also urged faster updates to the VA price schedule and better advance notice when VA changes trade‑in rules. Chairman Van Orden displayed a committee list of past‑due invoices and said delays ranged widely across cities and VA offices; the chairman called the pattern “unacceptable.”

VA witnesses acknowledged the problem and described an integrated product team, or IPT, convened by VA leadership to investigate payment bottlenecks. Jason Latona, assistant director in the VA Loan Guarantee Service at Veterans Benefits Administration, told lawmakers the payment process is not centralized within VBA and that local offices submit invoices. He said VBA has 15 days to process payments once an invoice reaches it, and that the IPT is working to identify where delays occur. Latona agreed to provide committee members the IPT contact and follow‑up information.

Industry concerns that surfaced during testimony included: - Trade‑in policy change: BraunAbility and dealers said VA changed a decades‑old practice allowing eligible veterans to trade in adapted vehicles every two years; VA now applies a four‑year trade‑in interval, a change dealers reported was made without advance notice and surprised veterans. - Price schedule lag: Scrimsher said VA’s published reimbursement schedule used 2021 pricing data and was delayed until 2024, leaving dealers unpaid at rates that do not reflect recent automotive inflation. - Payment backlog: dealers and the committee cited examples of invoices on the committee’s list with payment delays ranging from dozens of days to more than 3,600 days in extreme cases shown to the panel.

Manufacturers and dealers asked the committee to consider centralizing payment processing or otherwise ensuring consistent, timely reimbursements. Rep. Andy Barr (R‑Ky.) asked whether a centralized clearinghouse would help; Scrimsher said consistency across VA offices and faster turnarounds would be welcomed.

Nonprofit witnesses also raised equipment and payment concerns. Mike Owens, director of adaptive sports at Wounded Warrior Project and a Marine Corps amputee, emphasized the need for VA to provide equipment and funding for athletes who compete at higher levels as well as veterans who seek activity at the community level.

What the committee asked VA to do: lawmakers pressed VA to provide a named point of contact for the IPT and to supply detailed data on overdue invoices and the causes of delays. Multiple members said they would pursue legislative fixes if administrative remedies did not produce timely improvements.

The hearing record includes proposals already in Congress to address adaptive vehicle policy and payments. Rep. Barrett and others cited H.R. 1364 (the ASSIST Act) and other pending bills to adjust adaptive vehicle rules; BraunAbility and other witnesses supported legislative action to modernize reimbursement rates and restore predictable trade‑in allowances.

Ending: Lawmakers signaled bipartisan interest in further legislative and oversight action to force quicker vendor payments, update the VA price schedule and restore transparency on trade‑in rules. The VA agreed to follow up with the subcommittee on the IPT’s work and provide named contacts and data about payment timelines.