The VA Healthcare Wait Time Crisis
VA Healthcare Wait Time.
Before COVID-19, the VA wait time to see a primary care doctor or receive a referral to community care was already unacceptable. However, the cancellation of millions of appointments because of COVID-19 has caused even longer wait times, and its impact on Veterans is far-reaching.
Veterans nationwide are waiting months just to see their primary care doctor or to get an initial appointment with a licensed mental health provider. Delaying medical treatment, especially mental health treatment, often causes symptoms to increase in severity, leading to Veteran suicide.
If a Veteran has tried to schedule an appointment and keeps getting the run-around, they should contact the Patient Advocate at their local VA facility. The Patient Advocate is there to help Veteran’s receive medical care and resolve their problems.
We also encourage Veterans to contact their state representatives via mail or the Whitehouse via the VA Hotline for more help.
