WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) as well as Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Tedd Budd (R-NC) to introduce legislation that would permanently authorize and expand the External Provider Scheduling (EPS) program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make it easier to schedule healthcare appointments for veterans in the community. 

The EPS program allows the VA to view the schedules of community care providers. This reduces the amount of time it takes to find and create appointments for veterans in need of care. In initial rollout phases, this system led to a 65 percent improvement in the timeliness of community care scheduling and increased scheduling from seven appointments a day to over twenty.

“Veterans deserve timely and quality access to medical care,” said Boozman. “Across our country, and particularly in rural areas, our former servicemembers rely on community care to receive the services and benefits they need. I’m pleased to join my colleagues on this effort to support and strengthen the important tools that help ensure veterans’ appointments are not delayed or denied.”

“Veterans should not have to wait weeks or months to obtain the care and services they have earned,” said Moran. “By simplifying the community care appointment scheduling process and improving communication between VA and community providers, the External Provider Scheduling program has resulted in veterans getting the health care they need faster. This bill would continue the EPS program so that even more veterans will benefit from it, improving access to care nationwide.”

“Our veterans shouldn’t have to wait long periods to receive the medical care and services they need,” said Fischer. “By making the EPS program permanent, we will put our veterans’ needs first as we improve care coordination between the VA and community providers, especially in our rural areas. I look forward to working with my colleagues to take care of our veterans by passing this legislation.”

“No veteran should be forced to wait for the care they need and deserve,” said Budd. “That’s why I am proud to support Senator Moran’s legislation that allows the VA to schedule appointments with community healthcare providers in real time. Veterans in North Carolina and across the nation deserve the highest quality care we can provide them, and this bill will help us accomplish that mission.”

Click here for full text of the legislation.