.png)
Your organization is already serving Veterans — whether you know it or not. According to a recent Ipsos survey commissioned by Luminary Labs, 42% of Veterans have never enrolled in VA healthcare or disability benefits. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of VA-enrolled Veterans have turned to community-based care, with approximately 2.8 million Veterans receiving care outside VA facilities in 2023. This means Veterans are everywhere in our healthcare systems, navigating fragmented care across multiple providers. The challenge isn’t just about access anymore; it’s about coordination. Payers, providers, and health systems must all coordinate care for the Veterans they’re serving.
The VA MISSION Act, implemented in June 2019, transformed how Veterans can access healthcare. The law established six eligibility criteria that allow Veterans to seek community care when the VA cannot meet their needs — whether due to service availability, geographical constraints, wait times, or when it’s simply in a Veteran’s best medical interest. This expansion accelerated in May 2025 when the Elizabeth Dole Act removed secondary approval requirements, giving Veterans even faster access to community providers.
But what do Veterans actually want when choosing care? The Ipsos survey reveals that 59% of Veterans consider access to evening and weekend appointments important — which is more than the 43% who prioritized having a provider at a VA facility. Similarly, 58% valued providers with military experience or training, suggesting that cultural competency might matter more than the building where care is delivered.
The survey also exposed a practical split in decision-making: 74% of Veterans choose VA primarily for cost reasons, while 54% choose community care for its closer location. In other words, these are pragmatic decisions based on individual circumstances. Finally, only 66% of Veterans feel their family and friends understand their mental health needs related to military service, with just 12% saying their support system understands “extremely well.” With Veterans navigating between VA and community care based on these practical needs and desires, the challenge becomes ensuring care remains coordinated across a complex web of providers and systems.
Two third-party administrators — Optum and TriWest — manage five geographic regions covering all 50 states and territories. Providers must work through multiple authorization systems, including the HealthShare Referral Manager (HSRM) and various Veteran Care Agreements. For Veterans and providers alike, this creates a labyrinthine system that can frustrate even the most determined participants.
The real-world impacts of poor coordination are significant. Government Accountability Office investigators have documented scheduling delays caused by inaccurate provider directories, including listings for providers no longer in network. When coordination fails, Veterans experience confusion, undergo duplicative tests, face increased costs, and receive lower-quality care. The burden extends to providers too. Research shows that coordinating with non-VHA providers has led to higher burnout rates among VA primary care physicians.
These challenges mirror frustrations patients experience across all health systems, but they’re magnified by the scale and complexity of serving Veterans across multiple care settings. It’s a system serving millions of diverse patients with unique needs, making coordination understandably difficult — but not impossible.
Despite the challenges, innovative solutions are emerging. The VA Exchange now enables secure, bidirectional sharing of health information between VA and participating community providers. This means medical histories, allergies, medications, and immunization records can follow Veterans wherever they receive care. Technology is reducing the administrative burden too. The HealthShare Referral Manager (HSRM) simplifies the referral and authorization process, while External Provider Scheduling (EPS) allows VA schedulers to book appointments directly into community providers’ systems.
The VA also created the Office of Integrated Veteran Care in October 2021 to break down barriers between VA and community care. The office promotes a five-step care coordination model: receive the request, assess Veteran needs, develop a care plan, implement that plan, then follow up to ensure completion. Referral Coordination Teams (RCT) further simplify the process by serving as dedicated points of contact for complex cases.
For healthcare organizations ready to better serve Veterans, several immediate steps can yield significant impact. First and simplest: Ask about military service during intake. This basic question can help identify the 42% of Veterans not enrolled in VA benefits and open doors for coordination opportunities. Given that 58% of Veterans value providers with military experience or training, organizations can invest in staff education about Veteran experiences and needs, understanding service-connected conditions, recognizing diverse military experiences, and avoiding assumptions.
Establishing VA liaison relationships provides another quick win. Healthcare organizations can contact their local VA medical facility’s community care office or join a Community Care Network through Optum or TriWest. These connections create clear communications channels when coordination is needed.
When it comes to system-level improvements, interoperability investments pay long-term dividends. Organizations can implement VA Exchange connectivity, register for HSRM access (training is free), and ensure their electronic health records can exchange data with VA systems. Creating Veteran-friendly scheduling means offering the evening and weekend appointments that 59% of Veterans prioritize, designating Veteran care coordinators, and understanding VA referral timelines.
Perhaps most importantly, organizations must measure what matters. This means separately tracking and reporting on Veteran populations, monitoring care transitions and handoffs, and following both VA- and self-referred Veterans through their care journeys.
The landscape continues to evolve. VA is developing next-generation Community Care Network contracts, building on lessons learned from the current system. Meanwhile, proposed legislation aims to improve coordination for the millions of Veterans enrolled in both VA and Medicare. These changes recognize that Veterans shouldn’t have to choose between systems — they should be able to access the best of both.
The vision is straightforward: Veterans receive seamless care regardless of setting. Medical records transfer automatically between systems. Providers proactively coordinate without Veterans having to quarterback their own care. No one has to retell their story at each appointment. It’s about meeting Veterans where they are, rather than forcing them into rigid systems. Because in the end, coordinating care for Veterans isn’t just about honoring their service — it’s about recognizing they’re already in our care, and ensuring we serve them as well as they served us.
Join us at the Behavioral Health Tech Conference to learn how to better engage with Veterans as innovation partners. Register to attend and secure your spot at our panel discussion, “Serving Those Who Have Served: Innovation Lessons From Working With Veterans,” scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, 2025, from 3:15 to 4:00 p.m. PST. Use the code VETERAN25 for a $300 discount, courtesy of Luminary Labs.
.png){kind=small}
