The Tucson VA Medical Center is set to get a boost in its services, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough announced during his visit to the facility last Friday. Plans are in place to develop a new mental health clinic, with expansions also earmarked for primary care and emergency services. McDonough detailed that this decision aligns with an ongoing increase in trust from the veteran community with the VA's affairs. “That doesn't mean we're perfect by any means, but it does mean that we're getting better,” McDonough iterated in a statement obtained by AZPM News. These improvements are slated for completion by year's end, whereas the primary care expansions are slated to begin in October.
The projects are a response to both growing enrollment numbers and the recent enhancements in healthcare eligibility due to the PACT Act — said to be the largest healthcare and benefit expansion in VA history. Having seen nearly 1,000 additional healthcare enrollees at the Southern Arizona veteran healthcare system, McDonough emphasized the importance of preparing for the influx. “Here in Arizona, we see thousands of Arizona veterans now accessing benefits as a result of the PACT act, and here in this facility, we've seen nearly 1,000 additional enrollees in health care here at the Southern Arizona veteran healthcare system,” McDonough said.
Joined by Southern Arizona’s Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani, who has would-be advocates for reducing wait times for VA disability claims, McDonough stressed the urgency of keeping up with the anticipated rise in medical service demand as more veterans become eligible for benefits. Ciscomani, echoing McDonough’s sentiments, addressed the increasing needs.“The demand for these medical services and providers is only going to increase as more veterans become eligible,” he said. “We've got some work to do ahead of us, and I think efforts like that are the ones that are going to help us get there,” he explained during the visit.
