A federal program serving 2.8 million veterans isn't delivering on key promises. The Veterans Community Care Program was set up to help veterans secure appointments with providers near their homes when they can't receive care from a VA facility. It has been touted as an important safety net as demand for mental health care grows. But the cost of the referrals has been rising, reaching nearly $30 billion in fiscal 2023. And since it was established in 2019, the program aimed at bypassing long wait times has instead exacerbated them, at a higher cost to taxpayers, per reports.
