Worries mount as VA races to launch private-care program in June

With just a few weeks to go before its June 6 launch, lawmakers, providers, and advocates are wary about the Veterans Affairs Department’s ability to roll out an expanded private-care program for veterans on schedule without experiencing major glitches like the last time.

They fear the 9.2 million veterans eligible for VA-paid healthcare will continue having trouble accessing timely, high-quality care outside of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics.

Non-VA providers hope the new Veterans Community Care program, mandated by the VA Mission Act enacted last year, will improve their ability to share patient data with VA facilities and receive timely payment for serving veterans. Those have been major problems for the Veterans Choice program, which ends when...