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Congress Looks to Ease Restrictions on Veterans’ Use of Non-VA Clinics and Hospitals
WALSH COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA, AUG 6 – Legislation aims to reduce approval delays and expand local care options for veterans, with about 1.2 million rural veterans using non-VA facilities last year, VA data shows.
- Senator Kevin Cramer and two Republican senators introduced legislation to ease rural veterans' access to local hospitals and clinics using VA benefits without referrals.
- Their goal is to expand and enhance VA community care initiatives that began under President Obama and were further developed during Trump's administration, aiming to ease challenges veterans encounter due to long travel distances and limited VA service availability.
- Veterans like John-Paul Sager in Iowa rely on community care for treatments unavailable at VA facilities, but face complicated approval processes requiring repeated calls and referrals.
- About 3 million veterans used benefits for non-VA care last year, with typical payments around $34 per visit, though paperwork remains burdensome and delays persist, according to VA data and officials.
- While supporters seek streamlined access, critics and Disabled American Veterans warn that excessive funding shifts to private care could weaken VA hospitals, underscoring a need to maintain VA as the primary provider.
39 Articles
39 Articles
The Fort Morgan Times
Congress looks to ease restrictions on veterans’ use of non-VA clinics and hospitals
By Tony Leys, KFF Health News WATERLOO, Iowa — John-Paul Sager appreciates the care he has received at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, but he thinks it should be easier for veterans like him to use their benefits elsewhere. Sager, a Marine Corps and Army veteran, uses his VA coverage for non-VA treatment of back injuries stemming from his military service. But he said he sometimes must make several phone calls to obtain app…
Congress looks to ease veterans' use of health care outside the VA
It can be difficult for veterans to use their health benefits for care outside the federal system. A bill in Congress could ease that. Opponents are wary funds being "siphoned" away from the VA.
kffhealthnews.org
Congress Looks To Ease Restrictions on Veterans’ Use of Non-VA Clinics and Hospitals
WATERLOO, Iowa — John-Paul Sager appreciates the care he has received at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, but he thinks it should be easier for veterans like him to use their benefits elsewhere. Sager, a Marine Corps and Army veteran, uses his VA coverage for non-VA treatment of back injuries stemming from his military service. But he said he sometimes must make several phone calls to obtain approval to see a local chiroprac…
Congress looks to ease veterans’ use of health care outside the VA – DG Verifications & Stats
The Tibor Rubin Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Long Beach on Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze/Getty Images Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze/Getty Images WATERLOO, Iowa — John-Paul Sager appreciates the care he has received at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, but he thinks it should be easier for veterans like him to use their benefits elsewhere. Sager, a Marine…
Congress Looks To Ease Restrictions on Veterans’ Use of Non-VA Clinics and Hospitals – RamaOnHealthcare
WATERLOO, Iowa — John-Paul Sager appreciates the care he has received at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, but he thinks it should be easier for veterans like him to use their benefits elsewhere.Sager, a Marine Corps and Army veteran, uses his VA coverage for non-VA treatment of back injuries stemming from his military [...]
KFF Health News: Congress Looks To Ease Restrictions on Veterans’ Use of Non-VA Clinics and Hospitals - Retired Americans
WATERLOO, Iowa — John-Paul Sager appreciates the care he has received at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, but he thinks it should be easier for veterans like him to use their benefits elsewhere. Sager, a Marine Corps and Army veteran, uses his VA coverage for non-VA treatment of back injuries stemming from his military service. But he said he sometimes must make several phone calls to obtain approval to see a local chiroprac…
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