New DoD-VA Plan Aims to Open Military Hospitals to Veterans, Boosting Care Access Until 2028

This legislation aims to fix a long-standing issue: the Department of Defense (DoD) medical facilities often have extra space and capacity, while the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) struggles to keep up with demand. The bill directs the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to develop joint action plans to better share resources, essentially opening up underutilized military treatment facilities to enrolled veterans. This program is set to run until September 30, 2028, and focuses on strengthening resource sharing using existing legal authority.

The Plan: Cross-Training and Shared Space

The core of this bill is resource optimization. The action plans required by the Secretaries must focus on several key areas that directly impact access. First, they need to increase the use of military medical facilities that have “excess capacity.” Think of it like this: if a military hospital has empty operating rooms or specialist slots, veterans could be routed there, shortening wait times at overwhelmed VA centers. Second, and perhaps most critically, the plans mandate cross-credentialing of health care providers. This means a VA doctor could potentially treat patients at a DoD facility, and vice-versa, which instantly expands the available pool of specialists without hiring new staff. For a veteran needing specialized care, this could mean the difference between waiting six months and six weeks.

Cutting Through the Red Tape (Or Trying To)

To make this sharing work, the bill tackles the administrative hurdles that usually slow everything down. The action plans require expedited base access for VA staff and veterans, acknowledging that you can’t treat patients if the doctors can’t get through the gate. They also require facility-level coordinators to act as liaisons, ensuring these plans actually move forward. Crucially, the bill mandates prioritizing the integration of information technology and systems for sharing medical records, billing, and workload data. This is the big, complicated piece of the puzzle. If a veteran’s records can’t flow seamlessly between a DoD clinic and a VA hospital, the whole system grinds to a halt. The success of this entire effort hinges on whether these two massive federal agencies can finally get their IT systems to talk to each other.

Patient Safety and Accountability

For veterans concerned about receiving care at a new facility, the bill includes a strong focus on patient safety and oversight. The Secretaries must establish a secure, confidential system for enrolled veterans to report care concerns without fear of retaliation. All complaints and safety incidents must be jointly reviewed by both departments quarterly. If there’s an allegation of abuse or misconduct, it must be promptly referred to the Inspectors General of both the DoD and the VA. This structured complaint process provides a clear accountability mechanism, ensuring that increased access doesn't come at the expense of quality.

The Fine Print: You Can’t Be Forced

While this bill is designed to increase options, it includes a critical Rule of Construction that protects veterans. It explicitly states that this law does not allow the DoD or VA to require a veteran to seek care at a DoD facility. This means the option to use military facilities is an addition to existing VA services, not a replacement. Furthermore, using a military facility under this sharing agreement does not count against a veteran's eligibility for community care (non-VA provider care) under the standards for when the VA can't provide timely service. This protects the veteran's choice and eligibility for other benefits.