Research News

Medical Care Supplement Highlights VA Choice Act

June 16, 2017

This special Supplement of Medical Care focuses on the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 ("Choice Act"). In response to concerns regarding access to VA healthcare, Congress enacted The Choice Act (or Program), which provides Veterans who live more than 40 miles from a VA facility – or who are unable to schedule an appointment with a VA healthcare provider within 30 days – the option of receiving care from eligible non-VA healthcare providers. Findings from articles in this Supplement will help inform updates to the Choice Act. Below are just some of the important HSR&D and QUERI (Quality Enhancement Research Initiative) studies included in this supplement.

• In their article titled Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans' Use of Veterans Health Administration and Purchased Care Before and After Veterans Choice Program Implementation, Vanneman and colleagues describe the use of VA-provided and purchased outpatient care by Veterans eligible for the Program – before and after it was implemented.
• In their article titled The Veterans' Choice Act: A Qualitative Examination of Rapid Policy Implementation in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Mattocks and colleagues examine perceptions and experiences with implementation of the Choice Program among VA providers and staff at five VAMCs.
• In their article titled Community Clinicians and the Veterans Choice Program for PTSD Care: Understanding Provider Interest During Early Implementation, Finley and colleagues compare characteristics and attitudes of community-based primary care and mental health providers (total=668) in a sample of VAMCs (n=43) who participated in early implementation of the Choice Program.
• In their article titled "Where's My Choice?" An Examination of Veteran and Provider Experiences with Hepatitis C Treatment through the Veterans Affairs Choice Program," Tsai and colleagues examine perspectives and experiences with the VA Choice Program among Veterans with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and their providers at three VAMCs.