Legislative Analysis for Critical Access for Veterans Care Act

Policy and LegislationLegislative Analysis
Written By Russell Lemle

S.1868, the Critical Access for Veterans Care Act, introduced by Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT), would fundamentally reshape how rural veterans access private healthcare services.

 

The legislation establishes a new paradigm by allowing veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-healthcare system to self-refer to any Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-designated Critical Access Hospital (CAH) or its affiliated clinic that is located within 35 miles of where they live. Veterans could bypass VA authorization and receive services in these facilities, even in rural locales where a VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) or a contracted Community Care Network (CNN) provider has readily available appointments.

 

Read VHPI's legislative analysis of this worrying proposal here.

Russell Lemle

Russell B. Lemle, PhD, is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute. From 1981 to 2019, he worked for the San Francisco VA Healthcare System, the last 25 years as Chief Psychologist. 

He’s authored numerous scientific publications and media commentaries, including in The Hill, Task & Purpose, The American Prospect, Washington Monthly, Federal Practitioner, Guns & Ammo and California Firing Line on the prevention of firearm suicide and the looming decimation of the VA resulting from explosive outsourcing of veterans’ health care to the private sector. Dr. Lemle has been widely recognized for his contributions to veterans’ health care policy and firearm suicide prevention, including the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 18 Harold Hildreth Award (2011), Association of VA Psychologist Leaders (AVAPL) Antonette Zeiss Distinguished Career Award (2013), AVAPL Patrick DeLeon Advocacy Award (2016), the Disabled American Veterans’ Special Recognition Award for Veterans Health Care Advocacy (2020), and APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest- Senior Career (2024). In 2017, the AVAPL Russell B. Lemle Leadership Award was established in his honor. He was a member of the Presidential PREVENTS task force and has testified to Congress on veterans’ mental health policy.

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