President Signs Legislation Streamlining VA Community Care Programs

President Trump today signed into law AHA-supported bipartisan legislation (S. 2372) to streamline and consolidate the Department of Veterans Affairs' community care programs into a permanent Veterans Community Care Program. The Senate and House overwhelmingly passed the legislation last month. Among other provisions, the VA MISSION Act of 2018 would require access to community care based on certain access criteria, doing away with the 40-mile limit or 30-day wait period required through the Choice Program; establish Medicare payment rates for community care, with certain exceptions for rural areas and value-based payment models; and require VA to establish prompt payment deadlines.