While more Americans have health insurance coverage than ever before, there is still a shortage of venues to obtain the primary and preventive-care services everyone needs. This has certainly been true for many of our nation's veterans who, as we salute them for their service every November, all too often are forced to wait weeks and months to get needed healthcare at a Veterans Affairs Department facility.
Now there is hope for change. Thanks to congressional action, veterans who have to travel more than 40 miles for care at a VA medical facility, or who are forced to wait longer than 30 days for an appointment, can receive care at a community health center. Congress passed the Veterans Choice Act last year in response to highly publicized reports of veterans experiencing intolerable wait times for care. To address the problem and help the VA meet increased demand for services, Congress authorized the VA to contract with local providers—enabling veterans to choose their care outside of the Veterans Health Administration system. No solution is perfect, but connecting veterans with health centers makes sense for many reasons, not the least of which is that the centers have been in the business of delivering quality, affordable healthcare for half a century.
Close to 400,000 veterans—and more than 24 million Americans overall—now depend on community health centers for primary and preventive care. About 1,300 health center organizations operate more than 9,000 sites nationwide. Strong public support and bipartisan backing over the years from the White House and congressional lawmakers has led to a growing national investment in health centers. Indeed, Congress last April voted on an overwhelming, bipartisan basis to extend funding that supports health center operations and services as demand for care continues to grow.
The investment has paid off. Serving a largely low-income and vulnerable population, health centers have achieved a strong track record in reducing mortality rates, developing programs for early screening and treatment of cancer, and managing chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Yet it is their work in addressing the whole health of patients—including the environmental, social and behavioral factors so often linked to poor health outcomes—that makes them a fitting solution to the complex health issues facing veterans returning home. At last count, more than 400 health center organizations had signed up with the Veterans Choice program.
