Legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to expand U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare access for veterans in rural communities cleared a hurdle when the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee passed the Improving Access to Care for Rural Veterans Act on March 18.
The legislation, S. 3033, which was introduced in October 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and cosponsored by Blackburn, would require the VA to establish formal agreements between its medical centers and civilian healthcare facilities in rural areas. The bill aims to bring care closer to the roughly 2.7 million veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who live in rural communities.
“Our rural veterans should not have to drive hours for quality care they’ve earned,” Sen. Blackburn said. “The Improving Access to Care for Rural Veterans Act would put veterans first by ensuring they have access to high-quality and timely treatment closer to home. I’m thrilled to see this pass through committee, and I’m looking forward to its passage in the Senate, which will better support veterans in Tennessee by making the care they’ve earned more accessible.”
More than half of rural veterans enrolled in the VHA are aged 65 or older, requiring more frequent and complex care. Rural hospitals, however, often lack the resources or partnerships needed to meet that demand, leaving veterans to face long travel times and extended wait periods.
The legislation addresses that gap by requiring the VA Secretary to establish agreements with rural medical facilities through a flexible range of arrangements, including co-location, telehealth, equipment leasing, care coordination, and provider training. VA medical centers that cannot fulfill the requirement would be directed to apply for a standardized five-year renewable waiver. The VA would also be required to brief Congress on implementation and submit recurring performance reports.
“The VA must ensure it’s doing everything possible to fulfill its core mission of providing timely, high-quality care to our heroes — regardless of where they live,” Sen. Duckworth said, calling on the Senate to “expeditiously pass our commonsense, bipartisan bill.”
The legislation is supported by AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, and the National Rural Health Association.