What to Know About the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act would strengthen veterans’ health care choice, improve accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and build on the promise of the VA MISSION Act.

The legislation addresses a persistent problem: veterans too often face barriers when trying to access timely care, including unclear community care eligibility, inconsistent wait-time calculations, and bureaucratic hurdles that delay treatment. By codifying access standards and increasing transparency, the bill would help ensure veterans can use the health care options they have earned.

Key Reforms in the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

Protecting community care access.

• Codify existing community care access standards for eight years.
• Require congressional approval before those standards can be changed afterward.
• Require the VA to notify veterans when they qualify for community care.
• Require the VA to explain denied referrals and inform veterans how to appeal.

Improving wait-time accountability.

• Require the VA to measure wait times from the date a veteran requests care to the date care is provided.
• Prevent the VA from obscuring wait times through paperwork delays or administrative processes.
• Stop the VA from resetting the clock when appointments are canceled and rescheduled.
• Help ensure veterans’ eligibility determinations are honored.

Strengthening mental health access.

• Create a standardized process for inpatient mental health referrals.
• Establish clear timelines for urgent inpatient mental health care.
• Require faster assessment and placement into appropriate care for veterans with urgent needs.
• Ensure veterans can choose between VA and community care facilities based on access standards.

Modernizing the VA experience.

• Require the VA to develop an online self-service portal for veterans.
• Allow veterans to schedule appointments, receive reminders, and manage care needs online.
• Give veterans the ability to track referrals and appeal decisions.
• Reduce paperwork, confusion, and unnecessary phone calls.

Encouraging innovation and oversight.

• Elevate the Center for Innovation in Care and Payment to test new approaches to improving veterans’ care.
• Create the Veterans Health Administration Policy Advisory Commission to provide Congress with independent recommendations on improving quality, efficiency, and long-term performance.
• Support new care delivery models that could improve outcomes and expand access.
• Strengthen oversight to help ensure the VA remains focused on serving veterans effectively.

Bottom Line

Veterans should not have to choose between waiting for care and getting the care that best meets their needs.

The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act would protect health care choice, improve transparency, strengthen mental health access, modernize VA services, and hold the VA accountable for delivering timely care to the veterans it serves.