VA Forges Ahead With Expanded Telehealth Access for Veterans
By Eric Wicklund
The largest telehealth provider in the country is proposing to eliminate copayments and expand a controversial program that provides access to care in rural and remote regions through telehealth stations.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced on Veterans Day that it aims to amend the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Healthcare Improvement Act of 2019 to end all copayment obligations for veterans, greatly expanding a decision earlier this year to waive copayments for a veteran’s first three outpatient mental healthcare visits per year through 2027.
In addition, the VA plans to establish a grant program to support new telehealth access points in non-VA facilities. The funding would bolster The Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations (ATLAS) program, which launched in 2019, by supporting organizations, such as non-profits and businesses, to create and maintain telehealth stations where veterans could access VA care services.
The idea behind the program is to create a network of locations that would enable veterans to access care outside of VA hospitals and care sites, giving veterans more convenient options for care. Current sites are located in Walmart stores, American legion posts and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.
“I think it’s a noble idea,” GAO Healthcare Director Alyssa Hundrup told a Virginia TV station in an October interview. “They’ve put in an effort but, unfortunately, it has yet to be used. VA really needs to be looking at the effectiveness of these sites, where they are, how they’re using them, are they getting the word out to communicate with the veterans the availability of these? Otherwise, these sites are sitting there being unused and it’s a real missed opportunity.”
VA officials said the two new announcements aim to build on a successful platform for veterans, and an understanding that many veterans either can’t or won’t visit VA centers or other VA-affiliated care sites.
“Waiving copays for telehealth services and launching this grant program are both major steps forward in ensuring Veterans can access healthcare where and when they need it,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a press release. “VA is the best and most affordable care in America for veterans. With these steps, we can make it easier for veterans to access their earned VA healthcare.”
The announcement continues a growth trend for the nation’s largest health system, which serves more than 16.2 million veterans. In fiscal year 2023, more than 2.4 million veterans, or 12% of that total, were treated through more than 11.6 million virtual care encounters, including some 9.4 million on the VA Video Connect platform.
Eric Wicklund is the associate content manager and senior editor for Innovation at HealthLeaders.