The Department of Veterans Affairs Jan. 30 announced proposed rules for determining which veterans would be able to seek medical care in the private sector starting this summer — their eligibility guidelines based on drive times and appointment waiting periods that could significantly expand the number of veterans seen outside the VA. Under the proposed standards, veterans would be able to see a community network provider if they drive an average of 30 minutes for primary care or mental health services at a VA health facility, or an average of 60 minutes for specialty care at the VA. Also, veterans who wait 20 days or more for a primary care or mental health appointment, or 28 days or more for specialty care, with certain exceptions, could seek care in the private-care network currently being established. Read more in this Military.com story.
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