Trump signs off on healthcare reforms for veterans

President Donald Trump signed a bill into law Wednesday that will expand access to private healthcare for veterans. At a signing ceremony at the White House, the president welcomed a group of veterans and caregivers. “All during the campaign I’d go out and say, ‘Why can’t they just go see a doctor instead of standing in line for weeks and weeks and weeks?’ Now they can go see a doctor. It’s going to be great,” Trump said. The VA Mission Act of 2018 passed both chambers of Congress last month with bipartisan support. The law will allow patients who get approval from a Veterans Affairs provider to access medical professionals outside the VA system. It will combine multiple existing private care programs, including the Veterans Choice Program launched four years ago after veterans died waiting for appointments at VA facilities. If confirmed, Trump’s choice to lead the VA, Robert Wilkie, would oversee implementation of the new law.