Long Patient Wait Time to Receive Medical Care at the Veterans Health Administration Medical Centers

Abstract

This document details the central issue facing the Veterans Health Administration (VHA); long patient waiting time at VHA medical centers. A 2014 investigation by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in certain states discovered that 35 veterans died waiting to receive medical care and that over 120,000 veterans never received medical treatment due to a long waiting list. A 2015 nation-wide follow-up investigation of the VHA discovered that 307,000 veterans “may’ have died while waiting for medical treatment. As a result of the 2014 investigation, the Veterans Access Choice and Accountability Act (Choice Act) was signed into law to help improve veterans’ access to care. The Choice Act created the framework for the Veterans Choice Program; a temporary program that allows veterans to seek medical attention outside the VHA system if a medical appointment could not be scheduled within 30 days. Currently, the VA is seeking congressional authorization to modify the Veterans Coordinated Access Rewarding Experience (CARE) program; an envisioned replacement for the Veterans Choice Program. The modify CARE program would allow veterans to bypass the VHA and seek medical service at any outside private medical practice without first waiting to receive medical service at a VHA medical facility.