VA to Expand Health Care Service by Opening 13 New Community-Based Outpatient Clinics

Veterans Get Increased Access to World-Class Health Care

WASHINGTON – As part of the continuing effort to provide world-class health care closer to where more Veterans live, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs today announced plans to open 13 new community-based outpatient clinics in nine states.

“Community-based clinics are key to providing Veterans better access to high-quality care closer to home,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “By reducing the distance Veterans have to travel, we hope more Veterans will benefit from the health care services they have earned through their service to our Nation.”

With 152 medical centers and more than 812 community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), the department operates the largest integrated health care system in the country. VA will provide health care to about 6.1 million patients in fiscal year 2012 and 80 million outpatient visits.

The Obama Administration is committed to increasing access to VA care and services for Veterans wherever they live.

The first of the new CBOCs will become operational during the latter part of 2012, with openings continuing through 2015. Local VA officials will keep their Veterans, communities, congressional offices and other stakeholders informed of the progress of the new CBOCs.

A list of the new community clinics and planned activation follows:

• Arizona – Northeast Phoenix/Maricopa (2012/2013)
• Georgia – Tifton/Tift (2012/2013)
• Kansas – Lenexa/Johnson County (2013)
• Maryland – St. Mary’s (2013)
• Missouri – Marshfield/Webster (2013), Platte City/Platte (2012/2013), Springfield/Greene (2015)
• North Carolina – Sanford/Lee (2012/2013)
• Ohio – Georgetown/Brown (2012/2013)
• Oregon – Portland Metro South/Clackamas (2012/2013), Grants Pass/Josephine (2012/2013)
• Pennsylvania – Huntingdon (2013), Indiana (2013)

For more information about VA’s health care services, please visit: http://www.va.gov/health/.