U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care MISSION Act: Community Care Proposed Access Standards VA (assuming no changes in VA capacity or productivity) Current Access in VA Facilities: In December 2018, VHA completed more than 4,334,000 appointments. Average wait times for new patients were: a 21.6 days for primary care . 11.2 days for mental health care 0 NOTE: This is an average for all mental health services. Some specialties, such as have significantly longer wait times . 23.2 days for specialty care if the proposed access standards are implemented, the number of sites that will qualify for care outside the VA today are: . Primary care 69 of 141 sites currently have wait times longer than 20 days Mental health 2 of 142 sites have wait times longer than 20 days Specialty care/cardiology 22 of 139 sites have wait times longer than 28 days Specialty care/gastroenterology (Gl End and gastroenterology combined) 81 of 128 sites have wait times longer than 28 days Ix NOTE: This data is not reliable in that workload is being captured outside of these clinics. We are actively working to improve data collection Current Utilization of Veterans Choice Program for 40 Mile Eligible Population: Total Veterans eligible for Choice based on distance (40 miles from the closest VA medical facility with a full time primary care physician): 664,954 . Veterans had at least one Choice appointment: 240,641 . Veterans who only used Choice: 4,052 (less than Urgent Care Benefit under MISSION Act Under the MISSION Act, eligible Veterans can receive urgent care without prior authorization at community providers who participate in the VA community care network. This will allow those Veterans with non?emergency immediate care needs to get care closer to home. Access Standard: Access Standard: Percent of Enrollees Travel Time or Distance Wait-Time Eligible Under Primary Care/ . Primary Care/ . Standard Mental Health Specralty Care Mental Health Specralty Care (drive time only) ?9 21.6/11.2 23.2 3 24.1 32 days for new patients 3 40 miles 40 miles 'from full time PCP from full time PCP 0 20minutes 60 minutes 20 days 28 days 31% for SC a_ 2 Footnotes *Wait time excludes appointments within 48 hours ?2017 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times, Merritt-Hawkins study FOR VA ENTERNAL LY As of January 29, 2019