VA Mission Act of 2018: A Summary
The VA Mission Act (formally titled, “the VA Maintaining Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act”) was signed into law on June 6th, 2018, and it bears important consequences for veterans and military families throughout the country.
Below are some key provisions included in the new law:
-The Veterans Care Community Program is established. This requires the VA to furnish care through other institutions in a veteran’s community when the local VA cannot itself provide the care which that veteran requires.
-New access standards are instituted for regulating veteran care. These standards address veteran satisfaction, the timeliness of the care provided, the effectiveness of the care provided, and more.
-A new strategy is presented to guide the Department of Veterans Affairs’ High-Performing Integrated Health Care Network. The VA will be required to conduct market area assessments at least once every four years to determine the capacity and efficacy of local VA health care services.
-An educational health care program requirement is established. The VA is tasked with creating and maintaining a program to teach veterans about their health care options and the services provided by the VA.
-The VA Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission is founded.
The full text of the law (Senate Bill S.2372) can be found at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2372/text.
