Congress and VA Aim to Improve Health Care Access for Rural Veterans

Veterans living in rural areas are often too far away from health care institutions to easily travel to their appointments. Even if they can drive, the cost of gas and other related travel expenses may be too much for some. Telehealth was meant to help relieve that problem, but poor internet access can mitigate its convenience and accessibility for those patients. Two proposals offer solutions. 

In February, Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act, a bill that would expand eligibility to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Highly Rural Transportation Grants, a program currently only available to counties with < 7 people per square mile.

“As I’ve sat down with veterans in rural areas across Georgia, one of their key concerns is lack of transportation,” Sen. Ossoff said. “That’s why I’m introducing this bipartisan bill to ensure veterans have more access to transportation services that can bring them to VA clinics and medical centers to get the care they need.”

Amanda Flener and her husband, John, a veteran wounded while serving in Iraq, were driving as long as 3 hours from Fitzgerald, Georgia (population 8900) to attend his medical appointments. In the last 2 years, Flener told the Daily Yonder she had put nearly 72,000 miles on her vehicle. Following hurricane Helene, she said, "We had been driving 30 miles just to get gas to power our generator … and we were fortunate to be able to do that.” 

Telehealth appointments can help fill coverage gaps, Flener said. But even while paying for the most expensive internet plan available in her county, the signal isn't always strong enough. Telehealth care is "progress, for sure," Flener said. "So, we pay for the best Wi-Fi we can get in our area, but it isn't always reliable enough to take the video calls from the VA." 

As a result, veterans and their caregivers could benefit not only from the bipartisan transportation proposal, but also from a decision announced in November. The VA is proposing to eliminate copayments for all VA telehealth services and establish a grant program to fund designated VA telehealth access points in non-VA facilities, with a focus on rural and medically underserved communities.

The program, called Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations (ATLAS), would provide funding to organizations — including nonprofits and private businesses — to offer veterans comfortable, private spaces equipped with high-speed internet access and the technology to remotely meet with VA clinicians. Grants would also provide designated funding to train on-site personnel to support the program.

These proposed changes would advance the VA’s and the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to lower costs and expand access to care for veterans. They also could make a life-changing difference for the 2.7 million rural veterans enrolled in VA health care.

According to a 2024 RAND study, just under half of military and veteran caregivers live in a county without a VA facility, and nearly half live in a primary care physician shortage area. For military/veteran caregivers in particular, the survey found, reduced access to support related to the more complicated care some patients require, greater distances to reach opportunities (eg, retail, economic, or social), and even differences in Wi-Fi/broadband internet access may create “unique needs.” The survey found that 24% of rural military/veteran caregivers did not have reliable broadband internet. 

“Waiving copays for telehealth services and launching this grant program are both major steps forward in ensuring veterans can access health care where and when they need it,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “VA is the best and most affordable care in America for veterans — with these steps, we can make it easier for veterans to access their earned VA health care.”

 The rulemaking can be viewed in the Federal Register under public inspection, and is open for comment. The VA anticipates a notice of funding opportunity for this grant program following publication of the final rule.

Veterans living in rural areas are often too far away from health care institutions to easily travel to their appointments. Even if they can drive, the cost of gas and other related travel expenses may be too much for some. Telehealth was meant to help relieve that problem, but poor internet access can mitigate its convenience and accessibility for those patients. Two proposals offer solutions. 

In February, Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act, a bill that would expand eligibility to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Highly Rural Transportation Grants, a program currently only available to counties with < 7 people per square mile.

“As I’ve sat down with veterans in rural areas across Georgia, one of their key concerns is lack of transportation,” Sen. Ossoff said. “That’s why I’m introducing this bipartisan bill to ensure veterans have more access to transportation services that can bring them to VA clinics and medical centers to get the care they need.”

Amanda Flener and her husband, John, a veteran wounded while serving in Iraq, were driving as long as 3 hours from Fitzgerald, Georgia (population 8900) to attend his medical appointments. In the last 2 years, Flener told the Daily Yonder she had put nearly 72,000 miles on her vehicle. Following hurricane Helene, she said, "We had been driving 30 miles just to get gas to power our generator … and we were fortunate to be able to do that.” 

Telehealth appointments can help fill coverage gaps, Flener said. But even while paying for the most expensive internet plan available in her county, the signal isn't always strong enough. Telehealth care is "progress, for sure," Flener said. "So, we pay for the best Wi-Fi we can get in our area, but it isn't always reliable enough to take the video calls from the VA." 

As a result, veterans and their caregivers could benefit not only from the bipartisan transportation proposal, but also from a decision announced in November. The VA is proposing to eliminate copayments for all VA telehealth services and establish a grant program to fund designated VA telehealth access points in non-VA facilities, with a focus on rural and medically underserved communities.

The program, called Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations (ATLAS), would provide funding to organizations — including nonprofits and private businesses — to offer veterans comfortable, private spaces equipped with high-speed internet access and the technology to remotely meet with VA clinicians. Grants would also provide designated funding to train on-site personnel to support the program.

These proposed changes would advance the VA’s and the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to lower costs and expand access to care for veterans. They also could make a life-changing difference for the 2.7 million rural veterans enrolled in VA health care.

According to a 2024 RAND study, just under half of military and veteran caregivers live in a county without a VA facility, and nearly half live in a primary care physician shortage area. For military/veteran caregivers in particular, the survey found, reduced access to support related to the more complicated care some patients require, greater distances to reach opportunities (eg, retail, economic, or social), and even differences in Wi-Fi/broadband internet access may create “unique needs.” The survey found that 24% of rural military/veteran caregivers did not have reliable broadband internet. 

“Waiving copays for telehealth services and launching this grant program are both major steps forward in ensuring veterans can access health care where and when they need it,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “VA is the best and most affordable care in America for veterans — with these steps, we can make it easier for veterans to access their earned VA health care.”

 The rulemaking can be viewed in the Federal Register under public inspection, and is open for comment. The VA anticipates a notice of funding opportunity for this grant program following publication of the final rule.

Veterans living in rural areas are often too far away from health care institutions to easily travel to their appointments. Even if they can drive, the cost of gas and other related travel expenses may be too much for some. Telehealth was meant to help relieve that problem, but poor internet access can mitigate its convenience and accessibility for those patients. Two proposals offer solutions. 

In February, Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act, a bill that would expand eligibility to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Highly Rural Transportation Grants, a program currently only available to counties with < 7 people per square mile.

“As I’ve sat down with veterans in rural areas across Georgia, one of their key concerns is lack of transportation,” Sen. Ossoff said. “That’s why I’m introducing this bipartisan bill to ensure veterans have more access to transportation services that can bring them to VA clinics and medical centers to get the care they need.”

Amanda Flener and her husband, John, a veteran wounded while serving in Iraq, were driving as long as 3 hours from Fitzgerald, Georgia (population 8900) to attend his medical appointments. In the last 2 years, Flener told the Daily Yonder she had put nearly 72,000 miles on her vehicle. Following hurricane Helene, she said, "We had been driving 30 miles just to get gas to power our generator … and we were fortunate to be able to do that.” 

Telehealth appointments can help fill coverage gaps, Flener said. But even while paying for the most expensive internet plan available in her county, the signal isn't always strong enough. Telehealth care is "progress, for sure," Flener said. "So, we pay for the best Wi-Fi we can get in our area, but it isn't always reliable enough to take the video calls from the VA." 

As a result, veterans and their caregivers could benefit not only from the bipartisan transportation proposal, but also from a decision announced in November. The VA is proposing to eliminate copayments for all VA telehealth services and establish a grant program to fund designated VA telehealth access points in non-VA facilities, with a focus on rural and medically underserved communities.

The program, called Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations (ATLAS), would provide funding to organizations — including nonprofits and private businesses — to offer veterans comfortable, private spaces equipped with high-speed internet access and the technology to remotely meet with VA clinicians. Grants would also provide designated funding to train on-site personnel to support the program.

These proposed changes would advance the VA’s and the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to lower costs and expand access to care for veterans. They also could make a life-changing difference for the 2.7 million rural veterans enrolled in VA health care.

According to a 2024 RAND study, just under half of military and veteran caregivers live in a county without a VA facility, and nearly half live in a primary care physician shortage area. For military/veteran caregivers in particular, the survey found, reduced access to support related to the more complicated care some patients require, greater distances to reach opportunities (eg, retail, economic, or social), and even differences in Wi-Fi/broadband internet access may create “unique needs.” The survey found that 24% of rural military/veteran caregivers did not have reliable broadband internet. 

“Waiving copays for telehealth services and launching this grant program are both major steps forward in ensuring veterans can access health care where and when they need it,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “VA is the best and most affordable care in America for veterans — with these steps, we can make it easier for veterans to access their earned VA health care.”

 The rulemaking can be viewed in the Federal Register under public inspection, and is open for comment. The VA anticipates a notice of funding opportunity for this grant program following publication of the final rule.