David Shulkin, MD, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, said his ultimate goal for the agency is for veterans not to rely on the VA for coordination and delivery of care, according to The Hill.
Dr. Shulkin has been a supporter of the expensive Veterans Choice Program, which allows veterans to receive care from private providers based on distance or wait-time considerations. However, Congress has sought to replace the program, so he proposed the Coordinating Access and Rewarding Experiences Act, which would allow veterans to see non-VA providers when the VA does not offer a service they require.
"The direction I'm taking this is to give veterans more choice in their care, and be the decision maker for their care, which I fundamentally believe is a concept that has to be implemented," Dr. Shulkin told The Wall Street Journal .