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Dr. Mark Holmes testifies before US House addressing access to care for veterans in rural areas

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Dr. Mark Holmes, director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, and the North Carolina Rural Health Research Center, testified before the U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on January 11. The hearing, titled “Rural Access: Is VA Meeting All Veterans Where They Live?” aimed to assess the Department of Veterans Affairs’ provision of care and benefits in rural areas. Discussions included policy issues such as telehealth challenges, beneficiary travel, grant rates for homeless veterans, healthcare provider access, and compensation and pension exams.

Dr. Holmes highlighted the vulnerabilities of the non-VHA rural health care system for many rural veterans accessing community providers. UNC’s Program on Rural Health Research, part of the Sheps Center, contributes evidence to inform policymakers on ensuring healthcare access.

A link to the view the entire committee hearing can be found here on the committee’s website. A link to Dr. Holmes’ formal written testimony can be found here.