What GAO Found The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operates the nation’s largest health care system through its Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and serves about 9 million veterans annually. VA’s Veterans Community Care Program allows eligible veterans to receive care from private sector community providers in certain circumstances. For example, veterans who face long wait times or other challenges accessing behavioral health services for mental health or substance use conditions at VHA facilities may receive them from community providers. GAO found that veterans received over 600,000 referrals to obtain behavioral health services from community providers during fiscal years 2021 through 2024. Over half of these referrals were for outpatient psychotherapy care. VA data show the agency spent $4.29 billion on the community care veterans obtained through these referrals as of the time of this review, and over two-thirds of VA’s spending was associated with inpatient care, including residential treatment. Inpatient care is generally more expensive than outpatient care due to costs associated with overnight stays in a facility. Veterans’ Behavioral Health Care Referrals to Community Providers and Associated VA Spending by Care Category, Fiscal Years 2021–2024 Specifically, GAO found that about 4 percent of behavioral health referrals (over 25,000 referrals)…
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Veterans Community Care Program: Information on Behavioral Health Referrals, Fiscal Years 2021 Through 2024
Source: US GAO Reports — US Government, Public Domain