House Subcommittee: Community care, scheduling and EHR gaps hinder rural veterans’ access to timely care

Chairman Barrett, chair of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, told a field hearing in Urbana that geography should not block veterans from care, but witnesses described several barriers that leave rural veterans waiting or traveling long distances for specialty services. Testimony and exchanges focused on the Veterans Community Care Program, new scheduling tools, and the need for reliable two‑way electronic health record access between VA and community providers.

Why it matters: Roughly a third of VA‑enrolled veterans live in rural areas, witnesses said, and many need specialty care that is not available at local VA community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). Without faster referrals, clearer payment and records exchange, veterans can face lengthy waits, duplicated exams, or follow‑up gaps that pose risks to health outcomes.

Witnesses from VA and local veteran organizations outlined the problems and possible fixes. Dan Zomchak, Network Director for VISN 12, said the Veterans Community Care Program connects veterans with a network of “over 1,400,000 non‑VA providers” and stressed that community care “is VA care and millions of veterans rely on it every single year.” John Lawson,…