Leadership at Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently disclosed their intention to eliminate all co-pays for telehealth services and introduce grants for telehealth clinics in rural areas, with an overarching goal of enhancing virtual care services for all veterans within the borders of the United States. The initiatives are geared towards cost containment and better health care access for all veterans but each measure has to be subjected to a lengthy rulemaking process prior to being put into action.
As stated by the Secretary of VA Denis McDonough, such initiatives are crucial towards the improvement of provision of healthcare services to veterans. In order to achieve that, the department aims to eliminate all co-pays for the telehealth services and establish a telehealth facility grant program so that every veteran can access medical attention at all times and locations. McDonough went on to note that the VA system “delivers the finest and cheapest healthcare in the United States to veterans” and that such efforts will only make it more convenient for veterans to access their rightful services.
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As it stands, veterans may have to pay anywhere from $0 to even $50 per outpatient appointment regardless of whether it is face-to-face or via an app. More often than not, however, these fees are for some reason not applicable to disabled veterans, those currently experiencing some financial hardships, or people attending certain types of visits. In its decision, the VA figured that removing the cost of telehealth from veterans would lessen the economic burden and increase the take up rate of its medical services.
The new grant program being proposed is meant to enhance the existing Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations (ATLAS) which helps in financing the construction of secure rooms for private telehealth connections for veterans within non-profit and private organizations. These centers would offer the needed equipment, such as the internet, to ensure that virtual consultations can be conducted seamlessly. In addition, such resources may also go towards the hiring of support personnel at these centers who will help the veterans to reach the appropriate medical practitioners.
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Telehealth advancement had taken center stage in the provision of health care especially at the VA since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The department states that in fiscal year 2023, more than 2.4 million veterans, approximately 40% of the total veterans VA health care system users, had at least one virtual medical appointment. Such drastic proportions of the health care services provided via telehealth have made it possible for the VA to extend their services better to the veterans population who are mainly in the corners of remote sites, eliminating the need to travel to the VA facilities. The department has also assured that it will be stepping its telehealth services in order to address the different and emerging needs of the veterans while at the same time providing room for those who prefer physical treatment.
In September, VA leaders launched a national expansion of tele-emergency care and made the first three mental health outpatient visits for veterans free of charge, clearly signaling their support for telehealth. Such changes are indicative of the bigger picture structural reorganization that the VA is undergoing as it seeks to improve service delivery to veterans by offering more options at lower costs.
There is no indicated timeframe for which the new telehealth measures such as the removal of the co-pay as well as the grant program will come into effect. The VA’s ongoing focus on enhancing the amount of care delivered via virtual means, however, indicates that their attention is far advanced regarding these changes in the evolution of the veteran health services.
