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The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced plans to offer $7 million in new transportation services grants that could benefit 4.7 million veterans who live in rural areas. The grants would expand free transportation to medical appointments, something VA Secretary Doug Collins said is designed to “help break down the geographic barriers to health care some rural veterans face.”
Funding could be distributed later in 2026 to veteran service organizations, state agencies, and groups that transport veterans for health care. Eligible veterans would not need to do anything—the transportation is free for those living in qualifying areas.
Travel time and distance from health care facilities are significant barriers to receiving appropriate and timely care. The 2014 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act (Choice) was intended to improve timely access to outpatient health care for veterans by allowing them to receive care from community facilities paid for by the VA. Under Choice, eligible veterans become eligible to receive community care if they have to drive > 40 miles to the nearest VA facility or wait > 30 days for care.
Even with this provision, many of the 2.7 million rural veterans enrolled in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) remained far from care. For instance, the VA Office of Rural Health says the closest facility for veterans in Hollis, Alaska, is > 1000 miles away.
Moreover, 56% of rural veterans enrolled in VHA care are aged > 65 years, and more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart conditions than veterans living in more urban areas. Although studies comparing health outcomes between rural and urban veterans are sparse, research has long shown that lacking access to routine health care may worsen long-term outcomes.
The VA has also announced other initiatives aimed at improving health care for veterans, among them the opening of 34 new facilities. Other projects:
The Electronic Health Record (EHR) modernization project resumed April 11 with new deployments in Michigan. The VA says the new EHR system will result in more consistent medical records, fewer repeated tests, and better coordination between VA facilities and military health services.
In March, the VA announced a $112 million grant opportunity to strengthen community‑based suicide prevention programs, focusing on outreach outside traditional VA settings.
In February, the VA said it raised its spending cap for in‑home and community‑based services for veterans with complex medical needs, adding coverage for veterans with spinal cord injuries, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and others.
In January, the VA announced plans to invest $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 to modernize, repair, and improve health care facilities nationwide via infrastructure upgrades, major building repairs, and improvements to EHR systems.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced plans to offer $7 million in new transportation services grants that could benefit 4.7 million veterans who live in rural areas. The grants would expand free transportation to medical appointments, something VA Secretary Doug Collins said is designed to “help break down the geographic barriers to health care some rural veterans face.”
Funding could be distributed later in 2026 to veteran service organizations, state agencies, and groups that transport veterans for health care. Eligible veterans would not need to do anything—the transportation is free for those living in qualifying areas.
Travel time and distance from health care facilities are significant barriers to receiving appropriate and timely care. The 2014 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act (Choice) was intended to improve timely access to outpatient health care for veterans by allowing them to receive care from community facilities paid for by the VA. Under Choice, eligible veterans become eligible to receive community care if they have to drive > 40 miles to the nearest VA facility or wait > 30 days for care.
Even with this provision, many of the 2.7 million rural veterans enrolled in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) remained far from care. For instance, the VA Office of Rural Health says the closest facility for veterans in Hollis, Alaska, is > 1000 miles away.
Moreover, 56% of rural veterans enrolled in VHA care are aged > 65 years, and more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart conditions than veterans living in more urban areas. Although studies comparing health outcomes between rural and urban veterans are sparse, research has long shown that lacking access to routine health care may worsen long-term outcomes.
The VA has also announced other initiatives aimed at improving health care for veterans, among them the opening of 34 new facilities. Other projects:
The Electronic Health Record (EHR) modernization project resumed April 11 with new deployments in Michigan. The VA says the new EHR system will result in more consistent medical records, fewer repeated tests, and better coordination between VA facilities and military health services.
In March, the VA announced a $112 million grant opportunity to strengthen community‑based suicide prevention programs, focusing on outreach outside traditional VA settings.
In February, the VA said it raised its spending cap for in‑home and community‑based services for veterans with complex medical needs, adding coverage for veterans with spinal cord injuries, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and others.
In January, the VA announced plans to invest $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 to modernize, repair, and improve health care facilities nationwide via infrastructure upgrades, major building repairs, and improvements to EHR systems.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced plans to offer $7 million in new transportation services grants that could benefit 4.7 million veterans who live in rural areas. The grants would expand free transportation to medical appointments, something VA Secretary Doug Collins said is designed to “help break down the geographic barriers to health care some rural veterans face.”
Funding could be distributed later in 2026 to veteran service organizations, state agencies, and groups that transport veterans for health care. Eligible veterans would not need to do anything—the transportation is free for those living in qualifying areas.
Travel time and distance from health care facilities are significant barriers to receiving appropriate and timely care. The 2014 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act (Choice) was intended to improve timely access to outpatient health care for veterans by allowing them to receive care from community facilities paid for by the VA. Under Choice, eligible veterans become eligible to receive community care if they have to drive > 40 miles to the nearest VA facility or wait > 30 days for care.
Even with this provision, many of the 2.7 million rural veterans enrolled in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) remained far from care. For instance, the VA Office of Rural Health says the closest facility for veterans in Hollis, Alaska, is > 1000 miles away.
Moreover, 56% of rural veterans enrolled in VHA care are aged > 65 years, and more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart conditions than veterans living in more urban areas. Although studies comparing health outcomes between rural and urban veterans are sparse, research has long shown that lacking access to routine health care may worsen long-term outcomes.
The VA has also announced other initiatives aimed at improving health care for veterans, among them the opening of 34 new facilities. Other projects:
The Electronic Health Record (EHR) modernization project resumed April 11 with new deployments in Michigan. The VA says the new EHR system will result in more consistent medical records, fewer repeated tests, and better coordination between VA facilities and military health services.
In March, the VA announced a $112 million grant opportunity to strengthen community‑based suicide prevention programs, focusing on outreach outside traditional VA settings.
In February, the VA said it raised its spending cap for in‑home and community‑based services for veterans with complex medical needs, adding coverage for veterans with spinal cord injuries, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and others.
In January, the VA announced plans to invest $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 to modernize, repair, and improve health care facilities nationwide via infrastructure upgrades, major building repairs, and improvements to EHR systems.