Improving Access to Care for Rural Veterans Act
This bill, formally titled the "Improving Access to Care for Rural Veterans Act," mandates that every Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility establish a formal partnership with a rural-area healthcare provider. The core purpose is to address the significant barriers rural veterans face in accessing VA healthcare by leveraging existing local medical infrastructure. Partnerships can include telehealth services, shared physical space or equipment, joint training programs, coordinated care, emergency transportation, or other mutually agreed services. The law explicitly aims to both expand veterans' access to timely care and reduce costs for the VA and its partners. It sets strict deadlines for implementation while requiring detailed congressional oversight through briefings and performance reports measuring veteran enrollment, service accessibility, and outcomes for service-connected disabilities.
Key Points
- 1Mandatory Partnerships**: Requires every VA medical facility to partner with at least one rural healthcare facility, with flexibility in partnership structure (e.g., telehealth agreements, shared space, service contracts).
- 2Strict Waiver Process**: The VA Secretary may temporarily waive the requirement for specific facilities but must notify Congress within 48 hours before enactment and justify renewals after initial five-year periods.
- 3Compliance Timeline**: Existing VA facilities must comply or secure a waiver within three years of enactment; new facilities must comply within three years of opening to patients.
- 4Robust Reporting**: Mandates a detailed implementation plan briefing to Congress within 180 days and biennial performance reports starting two years post-enactment, tracking veteran enrollment, service accessibility, and disability care metrics.
- 5Rural Definition & Scope**: Uses the USDA’s precise Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) system to define "rural," ensuring geographic targeting, and clarifies this law supplements existing VA partnership authorities.