Rural Veterans and Community Healthcare Access Act

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall establish a competitive grant program for rural and medically underserved communities to expand access to outpatient veterans’ clinics, strengthen nurse staffing pipelines through scholarships, clinical training partnerships, and loan repayment for nurses who commit to service in shortage areas, and improve telehealth capacity through broadband-enabled equipment, secure remote care platforms, and technical assistance for small providers; priority shall be given to counties with provider shortages, long travel times to care, and high veteran populations, and the agencies shall submit an annual report to Congress on award distribution, staffing outcomes, patient access, and program effectiveness.