The Department of Veterans Affairs is proposing its biggest health care overhaul in three decades, a plan that would slash the number of regional networks from 18 to five and eliminate a top executive position.
VA Secretary Doug Collins says the changes will cut red tape and get veterans faster access to care. The reorganization aims to reduce bureaucracy and improve communication across the nation’s largest health care system.
But questions and concerns are emerging, including from the United Veterans Care Alliance. Spokesman Ramsey Sulayman said, “We really want to make sure that veterans get care at that at that point of delivery and make sure that that $1 trillion contract, it delivers care to veterans when they need it, where they need it and at the time at the time that they need it.”
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Alongside the restructuring, the VA is rolling out a new community care contract worth almost $1 trillion over 10 years. Sulayman said the Alliance supports extending the transition period from 12 months to about 18 months to allow for construction of better networks tailored to veterans’ needs and ensure providers transition smoothly.
He noted the community care network is shrinking from five regions to two. “Instead of super consolidating … you get more competition with more regions and more potential contractors coming in,” Sulayman said. “All health care is local, right? And that really is true … that will help improve the transition and make certain that veterans do not fall through the cracks.”
Sulayman also raised concerns about large contractors dominating the process and questioned whether veteran‑owned nonprofit organizations would have meaningful roles. “We’re waiting to hear some details. There’s a hearing today on Capitol Hill … and we assume [they will] talk about some of those implementation issues,” he said.
On oversight, Sulayman said, “VA has their own oversight mechanisms, they’ve got program offices, they have the Office of Inspector General, the GAO has done many oversight reports … and then of course, the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees, Congress has an oversight responsibility.”
He added that longer transition times could help address issues identified in past oversight reports and “will lead to better, better outcomes.”
