VA Delivers Record-Breaking Care Amid Surging Demand

Department of Veterans Affairs leaders report growing levels of health care delivery and benefits distribution amid PACT Act payouts and outreach efforts.

“Since the PACT Act was signed in August 2022, we have enrolled nearly three quarters of a million new veterans into our system,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal at a briefing Monday. “That is 33% more new enrollments compared to the equivalent period two years prior.”

The PACT Act expanded benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service and led to a surge of new enrollments. VA has also seen significant increases in demand due to an aging veteran population and the 2018 Mission Act opening eligibility into community care for those who either live too far from a facility or need more timely care, Elnahal added.

In response, VA has boosted hiring, adding 61,000 new health care workers in fiscal year 2023, the fastest rate in 15 years. This 7.4% growth in staffing has enabled VA to deliver 120 million appointments to veterans in fiscal year 2023, with projections to exceed 130 million by the end of this fiscal year.

“We’re proud of not only increasing volumes of care that we’re delivering, but that the average experience on wait times for new patient appointments and our foundational services are decreasing,” said Elnahal.

VA also saw a 16% increase in referrals to community providers and a 45% increase in the number of veterans accessing community care since 2019. Telehealth has also seen significant growth, with appointments up nearly 15%.

With benefits, the agency has granted over 1.2 million PACT Act-related claims, totaling more than $7 billion in earned benefits for veterans and survivors.

“In 2023, VA delivered benefits to veterans in record numbers, and with less than a month remaining in fiscal year 2024, we’re on pace to break those records by more than 27%,” said Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs at the briefing.

This surge in benefits delivery has resulted in 6.7 million veterans and survivors receiving compensation and pension benefits, up from 6.4 million the previous year.

Beyond the numbers, both officials highlighted their focus on quality and patient safety, noting that 58% of VA medical centers received four or five stars in the CMS overall hospital quality ratings, outperforming non-VA hospitals.

“On average, we outperform the private sector. And in any given region, we’re more likely to have a four- or five-star facility than a civilian-sector hospital,” said Elnahal.

VA Requests Funding for Anticipated Growth

VA is seeking additional funding to sustain momentum and to combat increasing costs on pharmaceuticals and prosthetics. The officials confirmed that they asked Congress for a $12 billion supplemental request for fiscal year 2025 in the continuing resolution that must be passed by the end of the month.

“If we get those funds, we will be able to grow. We think we need to grow in order to keep up with demand and not see wait times go in the wrong direction,” said Elnahal. “All of that really important work is on the backs of our excellent workforce, and we think we need more of them, so the $12 billion supplemental will help us do that.”

The leaders told Congress that failure to secure the funds could force immediate trade-offs like delayed payments.

“If we are even one dollar short, we can’t pay any veteran,” Jacobs said at a Sept. 10 Congressional hearing. “We believe it is prudent to maintain our original request to ensure that there is no risk whatsoever in our ability to pay without delay the veterans and survivors who rely on those earned benefits.”