Bill Overview
Title: Veterans’ Cancer Care Coordinator Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a pilot program to provide gynecologic cancer care coordination at the VA, including through the designation of a gynecologic cancer care coordinator.
Sponsors: Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
Target Audience
Population: Veterans globally needing cancer care
Estimated Size: 75000
- The legislation focuses on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which targets the population of military veterans.
- Specifically, the bill addresses the needs of veterans who require gynecologic cancer care, implying it most directly impacts female veterans.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs oversees healthcare for all veterans in the United States, so globally, it is really concentrating on U.S. citizens.
- While the exact number of veterans requiring gynecologic cancer care isn’t specified, the total cohort of female veterans in the U.S. gives a starting point for estimation, although not all might currently have or will have cancer.
Reasoning
- The primary demographic targeted by the policy is female veterans in the United States who are either affected by or at risk of gynecologic cancer. Though there are 2 million female veterans in the U.S., not all of them will require this specific care, narrowing the focus to perhaps tens of thousands.
- Given the budget constraints of $20,000,000 in the first year and $148,500,000 over ten years, the resources available are limited, meaning not all affected veterans might receive services immediately. Coordination efforts will target the most severe or urgent cases initially.
- Veterans not requiring gynecologic cancer care or those without gynecologic issues remain uninfluenced by this policy; hence their perspectives are necessary to provide a spectrum of impact.
- Wellbeing scores will vary significantly among interviewees, from those directly impacted by the policy (moderate to high impact) to those who are not impacted (low to none).
Simulated Interviews
Retired Veteran (Austin, Texas)
Age: 67 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think having a dedicated care coordinator will help streamline my treatment process. It's been challenging navigating multiple doctors and appointments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Veteran Affairs Employee (San Diego, California)
Age: 43 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad the VA is focusing on specific needs of veteran women. Coordination can improve care for those who really need it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Student, Former Marine (Tampa, Florida)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am really struggling to keep track of everything. A care coordinator dedicated to this would lift a lot of stress off my shoulders.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
VA Benefits Specialist (Columbus, Ohio)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I'm not directly affected, I see many veterans who could benefit greatly from this kind of focused assistance.
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 |
Grandmother, Retired Navy (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 73 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's exhausting managing all this alone. A coordinator could possibly catch things I've missed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Business Owner (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The additional support might help others avoid the remission hurdles I encountered, it's a terrific initiative.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Public Speaker, Veteran Advocate (New York, New York)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This pilot program could set a precedent for specialized care, and is a step forward for veterans advocacy.
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 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Volunteer, Veteran Affairs Hospital (Dallas, Texas)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Seeing firsthand how benefits of cancer coordination can impact patients, this policy is much needed.
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 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Teacher (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 46 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A project like this provides hope, at least mentally, that someone is coordinating efforts specifically for us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Veteran Support Group Leader (Nashville, Tennessee)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could be instrumental in catching cancer early for many women, easing much distress.
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 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 2: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 3: $21000000 (Low: $16000000, High: $26000000)
Year 5: $22000000 (Low: $17000000, High: $27000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The pilot program's success will depend on effective integration within existing VA structures.
- Nationwide implementation may require more substantial funding beyond the pilot phase.
- Monitoring and evaluation of the pilot's outcomes are necessary to measure effectiveness in cancer care coordination.