VA Health Care: Incomplete Information Hinders Usefulness of Market Assessments for VA Facility Realignment

VA provides health care to a veteran population that is growing older and more diverse. These demographic shifts will drive changes in veterans’ needs.

How is VA preparing to meet those needs? VA is trying to identify potential ways to realign its medical facilities by assessing 96 health care markets nationwide.

Our review of VA’s assessments to date found more information was needed to determine the supply of, and demand for, care from non-VA providers when care cannot be delivered at a VA facility. VA also did not compile information on the quality of the data it collected. Our recommendations address these issues.

What GAO Found

The Department of Veterans Affairs...