Bill Overview
Title: VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that when a veteran enrolled in the VA health care system contacts the VA by telephone to schedule an appointment for care or services at a VA facility, the scheduling for the appointment occurs during that telephone call.
Sponsors: Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
Target Audience
Population: veterans using VA health care services
Estimated Size: 9000000
- This bill will impact veterans enrolled in the VA health care system.
- The bill specifically addresses the scheduling system for VA healthcare services, affecting veterans who interact with this system.
- All veterans using VA healthcare facilities and attempting to make appointments by phone will be directly impacted by the changes in the scheduling process.
Reasoning
- The policy will primarily impact veterans who rely on the VA healthcare system, specifically those who make appointments via phone. This includes a diverse demographic range of veterans in terms of age, health status, and geographical location.
- Budget considerations restrict the immediate large-scale transformation of scheduling systems, meaning the impact might take time to propagate fully through the entire target population.
- The budget and target population estimates suggest a reasonable level of direct impact among service users who currently face delays or inconveniences in scheduling appointments.
Simulated Interviews
Retired (Texas)
Age: 68 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've had to wait several days to schedule appointments in the past, which is inconvenient when I'm feeling unwell.
- I hope that this policy reduces my waiting time and makes accessing care easier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Tech worker (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My appointments are usually scheduled without issues, but occasionally there's a hiccup.
- Improved scheduling reliability would add to my peace of mind.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (Florida)
Age: 74 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's hard for me to travel, so having my appointments set up efficiently is really important.
- This change will hopefully mean less hassle and more timely care.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Student (New York)
Age: 30 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If this helps in getting my appointments sorted quickly, it would be easier to fit healthcare into my busy schedule.
- I appreciate the focus on streamlining these processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Self-employed (Ohio)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Scheduling has not been a major issue for me personally, but I know others who struggle with it.
- This should help those who have more frequent interactions with the VA.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (Arizona)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I often spend long times on hold which is frustrating.
- Anything to speed up the process would be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Nurse (Virginia)
Age: 49 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's good to see attention being paid to veteran healthcare.
- I hope this means fewer scheduling errors and more timely care for everyone.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Consultant (Illinois)
Age: 39 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Typically, I've not had major issues with scheduling, but less time on calls would be great.
- This policy sounds like a positive move for the system overall.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired (Pennsylvania)
Age: 78 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Timely scheduling is crucial given my health issues.
- If this allows for quicker access to care, it would be greatly beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 2 |
Educator (Washington)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I don't frequently use the VA, improving the scheduling could prevent delays in urgent cases.
- For those who rely heavily on VA, this change should be quite positive.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $45000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $55000000)
Year 3: $40000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $50000000)
Year 5: $35000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $45000000)
Year 10: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 100: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Key Considerations
- The transition cost and time required for implementing real-time scheduling systems and processes.
- Potential need for additional training and hiring within the VA.
- Long-term savings through efficiency could offset initial costs.