As the generation of post-9/11 war veterans seek care for unique health needs and challenges, it is imperative that the Department of Veterans Affairs is prepared to serve them. But the department’s implementation of the VA MISSION Act and standards for accessing non-VA medical care has been discouraging. Concerned Veterans for America Coalitions Director Jimmie... Read more »

The post As the ‘forever wars’ end, what will happen to veterans as they seek medical care? appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Veterans Affairs began canceling veterans’ appointments. Nearly 20 million were canceled, delayed, or rescheduled, leaving many veterans without much needed medical care during a national health crisis. But those canceled and delayed appointments are just a piece of the trouble brewing at the VA, dragging... Read more »

The post Is the VA trying to keep veterans away from community care? appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Concerned Veterans for America recently relaunched My VA Story. We did this for a simple reason – we want to know how things are going for veterans who use the Department of Veterans Affairs for their care. Since the VA MISSION Act was signed into law in 2018, new access standards have been established for... Read more »

The post We asked veterans what they’re experiencing at the VA. Here’s what they shared. appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, responsible for providing health care to millions of veterans, is too often a barrier to care.  That is especially true for low-income, female and minority veterans, writes Darin Selnick, a senior adviser to Concerned Veterans for America and an Air Force veteran himself, in a new opinion piece in Military Times.  A study by the Government Accountability... Read more »

The post Darin Selnick: Choice is the key to health equity for veterans appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Nate Anderson, executive director of Concerned Veterans for America and an Army combat veteran, wrote in a recent op-ed in The Hill that he is “not satisfied with the pace or substance of reforms at the VA over the last three years. Nobody making an objective assessment should be.” In the three years since the... Read more »

The post VA, Congress, and veteran community have more work to do on VA reform appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Have you checked out the new My VA Story site yet? My VA Story gives veterans and military families a platform to share with us their experiences at the Department of Veterans Affairs — the good, the bad, and everything in between. By sharing your story, you and other veterans around the country paint a... Read more »

The post My VA Story is ready for you to share your experiences appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

This week, Concerned Veterans for America relaunched My VA Story, a platform that gives veterans the opportunity to share with us their experiences with Department of Veterans Affairs health care. This relaunch is part of our ongoing mission to bring needed reforms to the VA. In 2016, we launched the My VA Story project because... Read more »

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By Rick Disney, CVA-North Carolina coalitions director   The need for timely, flexible medical care is more important than ever, especially for those veterans whose care was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The VA MISSION Act allows for the Department of Veterans Affairs to refer veterans to community care, providers outside the VA system, if... Read more »

The post The VA is neglecting its responsibility to rural veterans. Just take a look at North Carolina. appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

In a new op-ed in his hometown Albuquerque Journal, Nate Banks recounts a 2018 experience with the Veterans Choice Program.   Banks, a Navy veteran and grassroots engagement director with Concerned Veterans for America, had visited a local urgent care facility with abdominal pain. He was referred to a hospital for testing, and in the course of his examination, doctors found... Read more »

The post Veteran’s health care story illustrates the need for more choice appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

This month marks the third anniversary of the VA MISSION Act being signed into law and two years since its implementation began. The VA MISSION Act has been instrumental in ensuring veterans receive quality, timely medical care and in creating a more dynamic Department of Veterans Affairs. Before the VA MISSION Act, too many veterans... Read more »

The post Then and now: What’s changed since the VA MISSION Act was signed into law? appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.