AFPI Releases Issue Brief on Restoring the Promise of the MISSION Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released a new issue brief, Restoring the Promise of the MISSION Act.

The brief argues that while the MISSION Act, signed into law in 2018, expanded veterans’ access to quality healthcare, additional reforms are needed to ensure veterans are not denied community care due to bureaucratic red tape or lack of transparency.

“Putting veterans first means ensuring they can access the care they need without unnecessary delays,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Keith Kellogg, AFPI Co‑Chair for American Security. “The VA MISSION Act was a landmark reform that put veterans first by expanding access to quality healthcare in their communities, but there is more to be done. The bipartisan reforms outlined in this brief and reflected in the Take Care of America's Veterans Act include policies that would ensure veterans receive the timely, high-quality care they have earned by reducing delays and increasing transparency through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These policies align with President Trump's promise to place veterans—not big government— back in the center of the VA's mission.”

AFPI’s policy recommendations include:

• Allowing veterans to receive care from non-VA doctors and hospitals when the VA cannot provide a primary care appointment within 20 days or specialty care within 28 days of a veteran’s request under federal law.

• Requiring the VA to measure wait times from the moment a veteran requests an appointment, preventing scheduling practices that obscure delays and improperly limit access to community care.

• Requiring the VA to notify veterans in writing when they qualify for community care, so they fully understand the healthcare options available to them.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to consider the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act (H.R. 9237) this week. The legislation builds on President Trump’s VA MISSION Act and incorporates key reforms highlighted in AFPI’s issue brief to expand veterans’ access to community care and strengthen accountability within the VA.

Read AFPI’s full issue brief here.