VA Revamps ‘Access to Care’ Website for Veterans, Caregivers

Department aims to improve the process of making health care decisions

a female doctor talks with a male patient

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Aaron Kassraie,

AARP

En español

Published July 22, 2022

The Department of Veterans Affairs relaunched an improved Access to Care website to provide a simplified, user-friendly experience to help veterans and their caregivers make better-informed decisions when scheduling health care appointments.

The site provides information on what veterans can expect from the care they receive at VA facilities; other health care services and specialties available; and average wait times.

The revamped Access to Care site helps veterans and their caregivers:

Find providers
Explore COVID-19 data
Learn MISSION Act quality standards
Compare hospital data
View access times at individual facilities
Download detailed hospital data

The redesign was based on veteran feedback and focus groups geared to learn what veterans want. Additional updates to what the site can offer are expected over the next few months.

“VA is listening to veterans, incorporating their feedback and reviewing access to care across the organization,” VA Deputy Undersecretary for Health Steven L. Lieberman said in statement. “As a national leader in health care access and transparency, this change in the presentation of Veteran-facing information ensures Veterans receive the world-class care they have earned and deserve.”

Additional help from AARP to navigate VA health care options

Enrolling in a health care plan can be a challenging process, especially when it comes to finding the right information and knowing where to turn for assistance. Veterans should never assume their eligibility until a full inquiry has been made with the VA or the Department of Defense.

The AARP Health Benefits Navigator 2.0 helps veterans:

Learn more about health benefits provided through the VA and DoD.
Understand how to apply and enroll in VA health care.
Expand their health care options with Medicare and Medicaid.
Identify how to get help from representatives who have experience with and knowledge of the VA benefits process.

This latest edition of the Navigator has been updated with additional content to help access the following VA specialty care programs and services:

Women Veterans Health Care Program
Specialty emotional and mental health services
Specialty dental, oral, hearing and vision services
Family Caregiver Assistance Program

Visit: aarp.org/VetsHealthNavigator

Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English. 