1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong support for legislation that would allow Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals to provide care to the general public and grant veterans access to any specialist outside of the VA medical system. These changes are urgently needed to improve health care access for veterans and the broader population while addressing inefficiencies and financial strains within the current VA system. The VA health system is the only national health care system in the United States, serving 9.6 million enrollees, many of whom live in rural or underserved areas. While the VA provides critical services, it cannot always ensure timely access to care due to its limited capacity, despite managing nearly 1,400 facilities and employing over 400,000 staff members. This has necessitated reliance on the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), which allows the VA to contract with private clinicians. Unfortunately, while community care has improved access for some, the costs of this program have grown exponentially, from $7.9 billion in fiscal year 2014 to a projected $40 billion in fiscal year 2024. This strain is exacerbated by systemic inefficiencies, such as Medicare-to-VA cost shifting and VA-Medicare Advantage (MA) duplicate spending. For instance, in fiscal year 2021 alone, the VA assumed $2 billion in emergency department visit costs that were previously covered by Medicare. Additionally, between 2011 and 2020, VA-MA duplicate spending exceeded $78 billion, with $12 billion incurred in fiscal year 2020. This duplicative spending diverts critical resources away from VA facilities, jeopardizing their ability to deliver comprehensive care and fulfill their essential roles in medical education, research, and emergency preparedness. Expanding VA hospitals to serve the general public could alleviate pressure on overburdened private hospitals while generating additional revenue for the VA system. Similarly, allowing veterans to see specialists outside the VA would reduce bottlenecks, ensure timely care, and improve health outcomes. These changes would strengthen the VA’s mission, uphold the quality of care veterans deserve, and help address the broader challenges facing our nation’s health care system. As your constituent, I urge you to champion this critical legislation and work to ensure adequate and sustainable funding for the VA. These reforms would not only improve the quality of care for veterans but also enhance health care access for underserved populations nationwide. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to your leadership on this issue and would greatly appreciate updates on your efforts to advance this legislation.