# Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act

This bill addresses a real problem for veterans living in rural areas: getting to medical appointments. Many veterans in remote parts of the country struggle to reach VA hospitals and clinics because they live far away and don't have reliable transportation options. This bill creates new programs to help these veterans get to their healthcare appointments.

The legislation expands transportation assistance specifically for rural veterans by funding services that can pick them up and take them to VA medical facilities. This might include reimbursing veterans for mileage, providing shuttle services, or helping pay for transportation through local providers. The goal is to make sure that living in a rural area doesn't prevent veterans from accessing the medical care they've earned through their service. Without this help, some veterans might skip appointments or delay necessary treatment simply because they can't get there.

The bill essentially recognizes that the VA's current transportation programs don't adequately serve veterans in sparsely populated areas where distances are greater and public transit doesn't exist. By dedicating resources specifically to rural transportation challenges, the legislation aims to close a gap in veteran services. This affects veterans living outside cities and towns who rely on VA healthcare, as well as their families who might otherwise have to drive long distances to help them get to appointments.

Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act

Ossoff, Jon

Rural Veterans Transportation to Care ActThis bill expands and makes permanent the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) grant program that provides transportation options to veterans for medical purposes.First, the bill expands the program to cover transportation for veterans in rural areas, in addition to veterans in highly rural areas (who are already eligible under the program).The bill also authorizes the VA to award such grants to county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations to assist veterans with transportation for medical care.Further, the bill increases the maximum grant amount to $60,000. However, if a grant recipient is required to purchase a vehicle to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, such grant amount may be increased to not more than $80,000.Finally, the bill defines rural and highly rural in the same manner as the terms are given under the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) coding system of the Department of Agriculture. RUCA uses population density and commuting patterns to assign designations.&nbsp;