JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One year after President Donald Trump signed the Mission Act, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs officially launched the new Veterans Community Care program on Thursday.
The purpose of the Mission Act is to expand veterans' access to health care. The Mission Act gives veterans more choices for community care outside the VA if they are eligible under a list of established criteria. The act was signed into law by Trump last year.
The VA said it will also make scheduling easier and allow eligible veterans to go to certain walk-in and urgent care facilities if they have a minor illness or injury.
Col. Len Loving is a veteran and the CEO of 5-Star Veterans Center in Jacksonville. He said the goal of the Mission Act is to make it more convenient and manageable for veterans to get the health care they need.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” said Loving. “I think it will be determined, it’s going to need a little time to see where the hiccups are and how do we correct those and move forward to make it a more manageable and doable act.”
The U.S. Department of Veterans said the Mission Act will improve the VA’s ability to provide high-quality care at its facilities. For more information, visit www.missionact.va.gov.