This week, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the expansion of eligibility for the Veterans Choice Program by changing the calculation used to determine the distance between a Veteran’s residence and the nearest VA facility from a straight line, or as the crow flies, to driving distance as calculated by Google maps or other sites. This change is expected to nearly double the number of veterans eligible to seek care in their communities rather than in a VA facility.
President Obama signed the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, H.R. 3230 (Rogers, R-KY), last year, which allowed veterans to seek private care at non-VA hospitals and clinics, if the veteran lived more than 40 miles from a VA facility, or if they are unable to get an appointment with a physician within a thirty-day timeframe.
The change addresses complaints from lawmakers and advocates, including RCRC, who say the VA’s current policy has prevented thousands of veterans from accessing high quality, timely healthcare.