Bill Overview
Title: To make permanent the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants for the transportation of highly rural veterans to medical care.
Description: This bill permanently extends the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to make grants for the transportation of highly rural veterans to health care facilities.
Sponsors: Rep. Peltola, Mary Sattler [D-AK-At Large]
Target Audience
Population: Highly rural veterans
Estimated Size: 52000
- The bill is focused on veterans, specifically those residing in highly rural areas.
- According to available data, there are approximately 18 million veterans in the United States.
- Out of these, a portion resides in rural areas. The US Census defines rural areas, and using this definition, the VA estimates around 5.2 million veterans live in rural regions.
- Not all rural veterans will be considered 'highly rural,' which is a subset of the total rural population.
- Estimating the highly rural population involves understanding the distribution and demographics of veterans in less accessible or sparsely populated locations.
Reasoning
- Highly rural veterans are expected to benefit directly from transportation grants as many face challenges in accessing healthcare due to distance.
- Located in remote areas, veterans often experience difficulties in obtaining consistent medical care without proper transportation.
- For some, the policy will have high impact, significantly improving their access to healthcare and thus their wellbeing scores.
- Others may experience low or no impact if they are not in the 'highly rural' category or if their transportation needs are already met.
Simulated Interviews
retired farmer (rural Montana)
Age: 72 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This grant is quite beneficial. Right now, getting to the hospital is a whole day's project for me.
- The policy means I could get to my check-ups more regularly without such a hassle.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
small business owner (rural Wyoming)
Age: 54 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any support in transportation makes my life less stressful and allows me to focus on my business.
- It's hard maintaining a business and managing health appointments that are far away.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
retired teacher (remote Alaska)
Age: 64 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 18.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I find it troublesome to arrange for travel especially in winter when the road conditions are bad.
- This policy could really help alleviate some of that stress.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 2 |
part-time nurse (rural North Dakota)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The extra support from VA can help me manage my condition better.
- Knowing I can get to the hospital when needed without it costing a fortune is reassuring.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
retired engineer (rural New Mexico)
Age: 73 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The presence of medical transportation options is critical here.
- This grant ensures that I wouldn't have to miss medical care due to lack of transport.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 2 |
self-employed contractor (rural West Virginia)
Age: 59 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Transportation grants lessen the burden of long travel for consultations.
- Such policies show that there’s support for veterans like us out here in the rural areas.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
retired (remote Nevada)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It’s been difficult depending on others for transport.
- A reliable transport service from VA would reduce this dependency greatly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
retired school principal (rural Iowa)
Age: 66 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I occasionally need to go in for check-ups, so this service, when required, would be useful.
- It's not a daily necessity but when needed, it would be a great help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
part-time mechanic (rural Texas)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This transportation grant might not affect me much since I'm healthy and don't travel often for VA services.
- It's good for those who need it urgently, though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
retired nurse (rural Arkansas)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having reliable transportation to VA facilities would make attending wellness sessions vastly easier.
- This grant is a step in the right direction towards helping rural veterans.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $52000000 (Low: $42000000, High: $62000000)
Year 2: $53500000 (Low: $43000000, High: $63500000)
Year 3: $55005000 (Low: $44000000, High: $65005000)
Year 5: $58000000 (Low: $46000000, High: $68000000)
Year 10: $64000000 (Low: $51000000, High: $77000000)
Year 100: $305000000 (Low: $256000000, High: $360000000)
Key Considerations
- The importance of access to medical care for improving veterans' health outcomes, particularly in highly rural areas.
- Long-term costs may increase due to inflation affecting transportation costs like fuel and vehicle maintenance.
- Potential administrative costs involved in managing and distributing grants.
- Impact on local transportation service providers could be significant, improving business sustainability.
- Consideration of future technological changes in transportation that may affect cost, such as increased use of electric vehicles.