Veterans’ health advocacy

The AMA is committed to ensuring that there is proper access to physicians for all veterans and advocates on issues impacting veterans’ health care including scope of practice, recruitment and retention of physicians, and fixing administrative burdens within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

2026

• On Feb. 3, 2026, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) requesting that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) cooperate with all health care systems to ensure the development and implementation of standardized protocols for identifying veterans in patient populations, including documenting military service history (deployment locations and occupational exposures), and stratifying quality and safety data by veteran status, in accordance with the Joint Commission accreditation standards.
• On Jan. 30, 2026, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) to the Department of War requesting that the Uniformed Services support evidence-based, medically necessary shaving waivers for service members, and oppose administrative or physical evaluation board separation on this basis when service members otherwise meet qualifications for continued service.

2025

• On Sept. 2, 2025, the AMA sent comments (PDF) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the proposal to reinstate the full exclusion of coverage for abortions and abortion counseling for the VA medical benefits package and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). The AMA asked that the VA reconsider its proposed changes to the VA and CHAMPVA reproductive health services benefits and retain existing exceptions that permit abortion under certain, limited circumstances and that access to abortion counseling be maintained.

2023

• On Sept. 19, 2023, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) in support of S. 2259, the “Leveraging Integrated Networks in Communities for Veterans Act” (LINC VA Act). This important bipartisan legislation would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to establish community integration network infrastructure for services for veterans, including nutritional assistance, housing, health care, preventive health intervention, chronic disease management, behavioral health care, transportation, childcare and other services. Additionally, the program would collect information from veterans related to social determinants of health.
• On July 11, 2023, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) in support of S. 2070, the “Protect Lifesaving Anesthesia Care for Veterans Act of 2023.”  This important bipartisan legislation would prohibit the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs from replacing physician anesthesiologists with certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) under the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
• On May 25, 2023, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) in support of H.R. 3347, the “Protect Lifesaving Anesthesia Care for Veterans Act of 2023.” This important bipartisan legislation would prohibit the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs from replacing physician anesthesiologists with certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) under the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
• On May 17, 2023, the AMA submitted a statement (PDF) to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs for the oversight hearing entitled, “VHA Recruitment and Retention: Is Bureaucracy Holding Back a Quality Workforce?” The AMA commended the Committee for focusing on this critically important issue and noted that it is imperative that our nation’s veterans receive the best health care possible. Increasing recruitment, retention, and fixing administrative burdens within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will go a long way in helping to increase the number of physicians in the VHA which will lead to healthier communities and, ultimately, a healthier country as access to much-needed medical care increases for our nation’s veterans.
• On March 20, 2023, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) commenting on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Interim Final Rule (IFR), “RIN 2900-AR50–Emergent Suicide Care.” The AMA applauded the VA for establishing a new benefit that will furnish, reimburse, and pay for emergent suicide care for certain individuals, to include the provision of emergency transportation necessary for such care.

2022

• On Oct. 24, 2022, the AMA provided comments (PDF) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the Proposed Rule, “RIN 2900- AQ59—Health Care Professionals Practicing Via Telehealth.” The VA proposed modifications to the definition of a covered health care professionals, including trainees, who provide health care services via telehealth. Importantly, these modifications were limited to health care professionals and health professions trainees employed by the VA and not contracted health care professionals. The AMA noted it support for applying proposals such as this to health care professionals who are VA employees while continuing to adhere to current state-based oversight of non-VA employees who provide health care services in the community under contract. The AMA also strongly supported providing veterans with access to health care services via telehealth but noted that the VA should consider the potential impact on care quality within any proposal that would expand scope under the Federal Supremacy Project for health care services provided via telehealth.
• On Oct. 11, 2022, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) concerning their Interim Final Rule (IFR) “RIN 2900-AR57— Reproductive Health Services.” Within the IFR the VA amended its medical regulations to allow for abortion counseling and abortions to be covered by VA health care and by Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), in the case of rape, incest, or the life or health endangerment of the mother. The AMA recognizes that health care, including reproductive health services like abortion, is a human right. As such, the AMA recognizes the medical necessity of allowing for holistic reproductive care and supports the addition of these benefits within VA health care and CHAMPVA.
• On April 4, 2022, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) supporting H.R. 7048, the “Protect Lifesaving Anesthesia Care for Veterans Act of 2022.” This important bipartisan legislation would prohibit the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs from replacing physician anesthesiologists with certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) under the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• On March 8, 2022, the AMA provided comments (PDF) on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Proposed Rule “RIN 2900- AR01—VA Pilot Program on Graduate Medical Education and Residency.” Due to the ever-increasing physician workforce shortage and the need for additional residency programs and slots, the AMA is supportive of the VA pilot program and applauds the VA for implementation of this program.
• On Feb. 3, 2022, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) commenting on Cotiviti’s Preliminary Audit Plan for the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) Recovery Audit Program which resulted in a meeting with the VA on this topic.
• On Jan. 18, 2022, the AMA sent a letter (PDF) expressing our support for S. 2041, the “Department of Veterans Affairs Provider Accountability Act.” This important legislation would direct the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enforce the licensure requirements for medical providers within the VA. This crucial step would help to ensure that Veterans receive the care they deserve though the VA system.

2021

• On Oct. 6, 2021, the AMA signed onto a letter (PDF) expressing our concern with the continued push to significantly reduce military medical end strength. A report sent to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees in late Aug. by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA) proposed to reduce military medical end strength by 12,801 positions. While lower than other recent proposals to reduce military medical billets, reductions of this size are alarming and fail to recognize the value of the uniformed medical clinician. As such, we strongly urged Congress to include language in the final NDAA conference report from House Section 721 that would halt any reductions in medical billets until further analyses can be conducted.
• On June 7, 2021, the AMA signed onto House (PDF) and Senate (PDF) letters supporting legislation to make Veterans Health Administration facilities fully smoke-free.

2020

• On Aug. 14, 2020, the AMA signed onto a letter (PDF) expressing support for certain provisions in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act that supported the needs of members and families of the Armed Forces by addressing issues related to preserving the military medical workforce and transformation of the Military Health System.
• On June 24, 2020, the AMA led a sign on letter (PDF) that noted serious concerns with the Health Care Professional Practice in VA Memorandum (Memorandum) issued by the Office of the Under Secretary of Health on April 21, 2020, and underlying Directive 1899 (Directive). The AMA urged the Secretary to amend Directive 1899 as it related to allowing non-physician healthcare professionals in 32 specialties to operate “within the full scope of their license, registration, or certification” and rescind the Memorandum encouraging all VA medical facilities to allow CRNAs to practice without physician oversight during the national health emergency.