The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced changes that will make it easier for VA-enrolled veterans to access healthcare from non-VA providers at the department’s expense.
Since 2019, the MISSION Act allowed veterans to receive healthcare from non-VA providers when it is in the patient’s best medical interest, but the decision required review by a VA doctor. Effective immediately, the VA implemented language in the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act that removes the extra review step to give eligible veterans faster access to care.
