Veterans Choice: Law And Its Historical Context

The Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act, also known as the Veterans Choice Act, was signed into law by President Barack Obama on August 7, 2014. The law was enacted in response to the 2014 Veterans Health Administration scandal, which revealed that at least 35 veterans died while waiting for care in the Phoenix VHA system. The Act expanded the options for veterans to receive care outside the VA and granted the Secretary of Veterans Affairs more power to fire senior executives.

The Veterans Choice Act became law on 7 August 2014

The Act was designed to improve access to care and the quality of care for veterans. It aimed to do this through three main avenues:

Giving the VA more resources:

The Act allowed the VA to hire more doctors and nurses and staff more clinics. This was to help the VA keep pace with the demand created by a new generation of veterans returning home from war and transitioning into civilian life.

Ensuring timely care:

For veterans who couldn't get timely care through the VA, the Act allowed them to get the care they needed elsewhere. This was especially important for veterans in remote, rural areas. If a veteran lived more than 40 miles from a VA facility or couldn't get an appointment within a reasonable time frame, they would receive a "choice card" and could seek treatment from a non-VA facility.

Holding people accountable:

The Act gave the VA Secretary more authority to hold people accountable for misconduct. This included the power to quickly remove senior executives who failed to meet the standards of conduct and competence.

The Act also included other provisions, such as expanding survivor benefits and educational opportunities, improving care for victims of sexual assault and veterans with traumatic brain injuries, and establishing a Presidential Commission on Care to evaluate access to VA health care.

It was signed into law by President Barack Obama

On August 7, 2014, President Barack Obama signed the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 into law. This bill, also known as the Veterans Choice Act, was signed into law by President Obama at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The Act was a response to the ongoing Veterans Health Administration scandal of 2014, which revealed that the administration had been systematically lying about the wait times veterans experienced when waiting to see doctors. By June 5, 2014, internal investigations had identified 35 veterans who had died while waiting for care in the Phoenix VHA system. Another audit determined that "more than 57,000 veterans waited at least 90 days to see a doctor, while another 63,000 over the last decade never received an initial appointment."

The Act was designed to address these issues and improve access to care for veterans. It expanded the options for veterans to receive care, including access to healthcare at non-VA hospitals for rural veterans, and granted the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs more power to fire senior executives. The Act also included provisions to increase healthcare staffing and residency training positions, streamline employee disciplinary procedures, improve treatment for victims of military sexual trauma, and establish a Presidential Commission on Care to evaluate access to VA healthcare.

The most well-known and controversial provision of the Act was the Choice Program, which allowed eligible veterans to receive care outside the VA for three years. Veterans who were unable to schedule an appointment within 30 days of their preferred date or who lived more than 40 miles from a VA facility were eligible to receive care from non-VA providers. However, this provision faced challenges due to the complexity of coordinating care between two different health systems and ensuring seamless access to medical records for both VA and non-VA providers.

In his remarks before signing the bill, President Obama emphasized the need to address the misconduct and long wait times that had been covered up at some VA facilities across the country. He highlighted the steps that his administration had already taken to address these issues, including holding people accountable for misconduct, increasing funding for the VA, and working to get veterans off waitlists and into clinics. President Obama also acknowledged the long-term goals of serving the needs of service members and veterans, including improving mental healthcare, ending veterans' homelessness, and providing educational opportunities.

The Act was a response to the 2014 Veterans Health Administration scandal

The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (also known as the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 or the Veterans Choice Act) was a response to the 2014 Veterans Health Administration scandal. The scandal involved the discovery of systematic lying by the Veterans Health Administration about the wait times veterans experienced when waiting to see doctors. By June 5, 2014, internal investigations had identified 35 veterans who died while awaiting care in the Phoenix VHA system. Another audit determined that "more than 57,000 veterans waited at least 90 days to see a doctor, while another 63,000 over the last decade never received an initial appointment."

The Act was introduced to the United States House of Representatives during the 113th United States Congress under the name "Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act." It was signed into law by President Obama on August 7, 2014, and included several provisions to improve care for veterans. These provisions included:

• Increasing healthcare staffing and residency training positions
• Streamlining employee disciplinary procedures
• Improving treatment of military sexual trauma
• Establishing a Presidential Commission on Care to evaluate access to VA healthcare
• Allowing veterans who were unable to schedule an appointment within 30 days of their preferred date or who lived more than 40 miles from a VA facility to receive care from non-VA providers

The Act also granted the Secretary of Veterans Affairs more power to fire senior executives involved in misconduct or unethical practices. The law was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and was intended to ensure that veterans have timely access to the care they need and deserve.

The Act expanded healthcare options for veterans

The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (H.R. 3230; Pub. L. 113–146) was signed into law by President Barack Obama on August 7, 2014. The Act, also known as the Veterans Choice Act, was a response to the ongoing Veterans Health Administration scandal of 2014, which revealed that at least 40 veterans died while waiting for care at the Phoenix, Arizona, Veterans Health Administration facilities.

The Act also includes provisions to improve the medical care that victims of military sexual trauma receive. It requires the VA to establish an electronic waiting list that is accessible to veterans who have been unable to schedule an appointment within the VHA's wait-time goals, so they can choose to receive care at non-VA facilities. The VA is also required to provide veterans with information about the availability of care at non-VA facilities when they enrol in the VA patient enrolment system, or when they are unable to schedule an appointment within the VHA's wait-time goals.

The Choice Act proposal was introduced to Senator John McCain by disabled veteran Ricky C. Barnes of Phoenix, Arizona, in April 2014. McCain described the situation as an "emergency" and stated that "if it's not an emergency that we've neglected these brave men and women who have protected our country, then I don't know what is." The Act passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress and was signed into law by President Obama on August 7, 2014.

It also gave the Secretary of Veterans Affairs more power to fire senior executives

The Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 (also known as the Veterans Choice Act) was signed into law by President Barack Obama on August 7, 2014. The Act was a response to the Veterans Health Administration scandal of 2014, which revealed that there was ongoing, systematic lying about the wait times veterans experienced when waiting to be seen by doctors.

The Act included a number of provisions to improve care for veterans, including increasing healthcare staffing and residency training positions, streamlining employee disciplinary procedures, and improving treatment for victims of military sexual trauma.

One of the key provisions of the Act was to give the Secretary of Veterans Affairs more power to fire senior executives. This provision was included to address the issue of misconduct and long wait times being covered up at some VA facilities across the country. The law allows the Secretary to remove individuals from the VA Senior Executive Service if their performance or misconduct warrants removal. The executives can be removed immediately from the payroll and have only a week to appeal the decision. Twenty-one days later, a merit board makes a final decision in the person's case. This provision is intended to give the Secretary the authority to move quickly to remove senior executives who fail to meet the standards of conduct and competence that the American people demand.

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