The American Legion recently contacted veterans and its own service officers across the country to gauge the success of the Department of Veterans Affairs Choice Card program. Feedback indicated serious problems with access and eligibility. So far, the Choice Card program has been underutilized since its rollout last November, with only 27,000 veterans making appointments. VA announced it had changed its 40-mile criteria for determining Choice Card eligibility. Veterans still need to be more than 40 miles from a VA facility to get the card, but the measure is now in actual driving miles. Read the American Legion's written testimony on the American Legion website at www.legion.org/legislative/testimony/226625/veterans-choice-act-exploring-distiance-criteria.
For more on veteran programs, visit the Military.com Benefits Center.