Lucas calls on VA to ensure health care for rural veterans

U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) and 80 of his colleagues recently urged the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prioritize care for America’s military veterans living in rural areas. 

According to the Office of Rural Health in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 4.7 million veterans in the United States live in rural communities, with 58 percent of them enrolled in the VA healthcare system compared to 37 percent of those enrolled living in urban areas.

“While many veterans choose to retire and work in communities with close access to a VA facility, almost a quarter of all veterans in the United States return from military careers to reside in rural communities,” the members wrote in an Aug. 11 letter sent to VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We want to work with you to ensure that these veterans in our districts, and countless others, are not excluded because of where they choose to live.”

Rep. Lucas and his colleagues pointed out that the issues facing rural veterans are not due to neglect or a lack of desire for quality care. Challenges in rural communities include less access to care, fewer physician practices, less overall infrastructure to support the level of care needed, fewer transportation options, greater distance barriers, and limited broadband internet, according to the lawmakers’ letter.

“We want to ensure that we all do our part to continue to provide quality care for those who bravely served our country,” they wrote. “As such, it is imperative that the Office of Rural Health serve as a liaison for these communities as we identify ways to increase the overall access to care for rural veterans through creative solutions, cross-agency collaboration, public-private partnerships, and improved rural broadband.”

While pleased that the VA’s fiscal year 2022 budget request included increased funding for telehealth services and rural veteran transportation services, Rep. Lucas and his colleagues want “to ensure these initiatives are supported with adequate funding to improve healthcare outcomes for veterans.”