The way forward for Veterans Affairs well being care throughout Colorado — and the nation, for that matter — is within the fingers of the unbiased Asset and Infrastructure Evaluate (AIR) Fee. It is a group of 9 presidentially appointed and congressionally authorised leaders who will conduct public hearings over the subsequent 12 months and make suggestions.
The VA launched the AIR report and the secretary’s last suggestions for the modernization or realignment of the VA’s well being care system March 14; the report is on the market at va.gov/aircommissionreport.
What does all this imply for Colorado? Permit me to interrupt it down for you with a Q&A.
Why did market assessments happen and why is there an AIR Fee?
The VA MISSION Act of 2018 required the division to conduct a collection of market assessments to look at future demand for well being care providers among the many veteran inhabitants. As soon as full, the VA needed to submit findings and suggestions to the AIR Fee.
When will this happen?
We’re in the midst of a three-step course of. First, the VA did research of each VA space throughout the U.S. over the previous couple of years, often known as market assessments. These research analyzed the make-up of our veterans by well being care wants, demographic elements and geography.
Second, the VA used these market assessments to tell suggestions for the way forward for the VA’s well being care infrastructure. The VA secretary introduced the suggestions March 14.
The third step includes a really particular cadence. The AIR Fee will maintain public hearings, go to VA amenities and hearken to veterans to evaluate the suggestions. The commissioners will then transmit the suggestions, with any adjustments, to the president in early 2023. President Joe Biden will then decide whether or not to submit these suggestions to Congress. If he does so, Congress can settle for these suggestions as an entire by inaction or reject them of their entirety by passing a joint decision of disapproval.
What does this imply for Colorado veterans?
Between outpatient care, strategic collaborations and referrals to neighborhood suppliers, the VA will proceed to ship entry to world-class care for each veteran, locally and in rural areas, in each nook of the Centennial State. Though there are three well being care programs working in Colorado, almost all Gazette readers reside within the VA Jap Colorado Well being Care System, which covers the Denver metro space, Colorado Springs space and far of the territory alongside the Entrance Vary.
Listed here are the key suggestions by county. Consider, these are solely suggestions; nothing will change now or within the quick future. Any proposed adjustments are a number of years away from potential implementation.
El Paso County: Present inpatient medical and surgical providers by both developing a brand new VA Medical Middle within the neighborhood of Colorado Springs or by a strategic collaboration with the Division of Protection. Present inpatient psychological well being providers within the Colorado Springs space.
Pueblo County: Transition providers from the present Neighborhood Dwelling Middle (CLC) in Pueblo to a 48-bed CLC in Colorado Springs.
Douglas County: Set up a brand new VA Clinic within the Fort Rock space.
Arapahoe County: Relocate the Aurora VA Clinic to a brand new website in the identical space.
Denver County: Relocate to a brand new website on the Denver VAMC property; shut the quickly deactivated Denver VA Clinic.
Chaffee, Package Carson, Otero and Prowers counties: Relocate all providers on the Salida VA Clinic, Burlington VA Clinic, La Junta VA Clinic and Lamar VA Clinic. Any really helpful closure of rural clinics relocates care to neighborhood suppliers, permitting veterans to have native, handy entry to care.
What actions ought to Colorado veterans take?
Enroll in VA well being care and use the advantages you earned. Any VA modernization efforts or infrastructure enhancements replicate the variety of veterans enrolled in VA well being care. The extra enrolled veterans there are in any county/area, the extra providers the VA will take into account providing. It will hold world-class care the place veterans reside. Alternatively, telehealth is all the time a viable choice to proceed to obtain care in any location.
Thanks for permitting me to stroll alongside you behind pleasant traces.
Victory!