VA announces new access guidelines
March 03, 2019
In a move that could potentially give veterans more choices than ever in their own medical care, the VA has proposed a new set of guidelines that would expand eligibility for health care in the private sector.
Under the new standards, veterans who live more than 30 minutes away from a VA facility or who would have to wait more than 20 days for an appointment there would be allowed to get care with a private doctor. These new guidelines would replace the current standard which is 40 miles from a VA clinic and 30 days wait time for an appointment. Veterans would also be able to use non-VA urgent care facilities with a copay.
This will ideally allow more veterans to access care when they need it and dramatically increase the amount of money the VA pays out for non-VA appointments. This legislation was passed in Congress last summer with bipartisan support.
The changes do not come without controversy though. Veterans groups and congressional staffers have complained that most of the creation of these standards were done without input from the military community. They worry that this is a move toward the privatization of the VA and that it will divert needed funds from the program. The VA has contested these claims.
Officials project that triple the number of veterans would be eligible for outside care under the new guidelines at a cost of $21 billion over five years. As the VA budget grew to an unprecedented $200 billion last year, this cost is a serious concern for some.
The new standards are anticipated to go into effect in June.