As you may have heard, the new Veterans Administration MISSION Act took effect on June 6, 2019. The following is a letter from the Office of the Under Secretary for Health. It briefly explains the purpose of the new law.

Dear Veterans,

At VA, Veterans are at the center of everything we do. We are constantly working to make sure you know about the health care and benefits you have earned through your service to our country.

A new law, called the MISSION Act, strengthens VA's ability to provide you with state-of-the-art care and services through a network of providers and cutting-edge technology. The law makes several enhancements to VA care that began on June 6, 2019.

With the MISSION Act, you will see VA continue to be a trusted, caring partner. We are focused on providing an excellent experience of care to you and the important people in your life. You'll see us expand our efforts to meet you where you are, with the right care at the right place and the right time - including through telehealth and in your community.

To help you learn more about your VA health care options, we have created a booklet that provides information on:

• Enrollment and health care eligibility;

• Expanded community care eligibility;

• Accessing new Urgent Care benefits for minor illnesses;

• Information on how copayments and insurance will be used;

• Learning more about VA's access and quality standards and how those relate to you;

• Awareness of the complaints and appeals process for health care delivery.

You can view the booklet at: https://www.missionact.va.gov/library/files/MISSION_ACT_Community_Care_Booklet.pdf

We appreciate that you choose VA for your health care and we are honored to serve you.

Signed, Richard D. Stone, MD, Executive in Charge, Office of the Under Secretary for Health.

The new law went into effect on June 6 but implementation will begin slowly. The best advice I can give you as your Veteran Service Officer is to continue to talk to your VA healthcare team or scheduler to get the care you need. If you have any questions about your health care benefits, call my office at 605-487-7691 or cell at 605-481-1338.