This week, Congress passed S. 544 to extend the Veterans Choice Program. The Veterans Choice Program provides veterans with access to health care at facilities outside the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which is important to many veterans in rural counties.
The legislation would eliminate the sunset date of the VA program currently set to expire on August 7, 2017, and let the program operate until funds are no longer available for the program. The program was originally started in 2014 to address challenges veterans faced with appropriate access to care through the VA. The White House has not issued an official position on the bill, but is expected to sign the bill into law.