Help us help vets with an individual contribution in your community. The best way to impact the vets around you is with hands-on assistance through your business, a veteran service organization, and in your community. You can also help our emergency aid initiative with a donation to the Military Family Assistance Fund.
“President Donald J. Trump is committed to proving more choice in our veterans care. Recently, choice reform for our veterans through the VA MISSION Act passed out of House Veterans Committee 20-2 and is going to the House Floor. This legislation has broad bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, as well as 38 Veteran and Military organizations. Attached you will find the Statement of Administration Policy indicating the Administration’s support for the VA MISSION Act.”
From the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Demand for community care programs has increased substantially since Congress created the Choice Program in 2014. The Choice program runs out of funding in less than 30 days. If Congress fails to pass the legislation, veterans will likely be forced once again to wait in never ending lines. This legislation would transform VA into a high-performing and integrated 21st century health care system.
Below is additional information about the legislation being considered by Congress.
Overview
President Trump, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have worked closely with Congress and VSOs to create draft legislation that would reform and streamline the Veterans Choice Program and VA community care programs to ensure Veterans have access to care when and where they need it and when VA is unable to provide it.
Demand for community care programs has increased substantially since Congress created the Veterans Choice Program in 2014
The Choice Program:
More than 1.9 million veterans have used the Veterans Choice Program
More than 39 million appointments via Veterans Choice Program scheduled in the community
The Choice Program is expected to run out of funding in less than 30 days.
If Congress fails to pass the Choice Program reform legislation, veterans will be forced once again to wait in never ending lines.
Veterans have relied on VA community care for more than 70 years. The Administration is working with Congress to merge all of VA’s community care efforts into a single, efficient, effective, and accountable federal program that ensures our heroes get the right care, at the right time, with the right provider.
Instead of putting politics above the healthcare needs of our nation’s veterans, Congress should pass the VA reform legislation before Memorial Day
The VA MISSION Act:
•Strengthens the VA’s ability to provide timely and seamless care to VA patients.
Provides $5.2 billion desperately needed to prevent interruption of access to needed care for Veterans.
Modernizes VA health care by making needed investments and improvements in VA assets, and allowing for the recruitment and retention of additional medical personnel.
Creates integrated networks of high performing providers to support VA in delivering on its critical mission of caring for Veterans where and when they need it. And, consolidates VA’s many community care programs to ease confusion for the veteran, community providers and VA staff, thereby simplifying access to care and enhancing efficiency.
Corrects the “injustice” of seriously disabled veterans from World War II, the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf Wars by making it possible for them to receive comprehensive caregiver assistance as an alternative to being institutionalized, just as is now done for post 9/11 Veterans.”
