Evaluating the Veterans Choice Program: Lessons for Developing a High-performing Integrated Network

Abstract

As the largest integrated health care system in the country, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) delivers care to > 8 million Veterans each year at over 1700 sites of care across all 50 states. In addition to providing services within VHA facilities, VHA provides community care by partnering with federal and private providers, clinics, and hospitals to care for Veterans. In August 2014, Congress enacted the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act (Choice Act), which required VHA to establish the Veterans Choice Program (VCP). The VCP allowed VHA to expand the availability of community care for eligible Veterans and became an additional avenue for VHA to deliver community care. Approximately 23% of all VHA community care appointments are delivered using the VCP. In this supplement, 12 articles highlight some of important findings from early research evaluating VCP implementation.