Streamlined Care for Women Between DoD and VA

IAVA's Policy Agenda for the 117th Congress

Current Policy Priorities

IAVA has recommended specific policy priorities to address the issues that matter most to post-9/11 veterans.

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Galvanize Support for Women Veterans

GET UP TO SPEED ON IAVA’S CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT WOMEN VETERANS

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WHAT IS IAVA’S PLAN?

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Galvanize Support for #SheWhoBorneTheBattle

Over the past few years, there’s been a groundswell of support for women veterans’ issues. From health care access to reproductive health services to a seismic culture change within the veteran community, women veterans have rightly been focused on and elevated on Capitol Hill, inside the VA, and nationally. In 2017, IAVA launched our groundbreaking campaign, #SheWhoBorneTheBattle, focused on recognizing the service of women veterans and closing gaps in care provided to them by the VA. Ahead of the times, we made the bold choice to lead on an issue that was important to not just the 13% of our members that are women, but to our entire membership, the future of healthcare, and America’s national security. We fought hard for top-down culture change in the VA for the more than 345,000 women who have fought in our current wars–and for all Americans.

In 2020, the cornerstone of IAVA’s #SheWhoBorneTheBattle campaign, the IAVA-led Deborah Sampson Act, was passed into law after a nearly four-year campaign. This groundbreaking legislation includes several important provisions that will address sexual harassment and assault in VA facilities, establish an Office of Women’s Health directly under the Undersecretary of VA for Health, and improve access to care and benefits for survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (MST).

Women are currently the fastest-growing population in both the military and veteran communities, and their numbers have been growing steadily since the 1970s. And while more women are joining the military and are finally being given unprecedented roles in combat and greater responsibilities in leadership, veteran services and benefits often fall behind.

While the past few years has been encouraging in the display of growing interest in ensuring health care accessibility for women veterans at VA, increasing support for women veterans, and expanding services, there is still much work to be done.

IAVA's Approach

Ensure Streamlined Care for Women between DoD and VA

GET UP TO SPEED ON STREAMLINING CARE FOR WOMEN VETERANS

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WHAT IS IAVA’S PLAN?

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Ensure Streamlined Care for Women between DoD and VA

In 2001, women were estimated to make up about 6% of the veteran population. In 2020, that number is up to 10%. And since 2000, the number of women using VA services has increased by 175%.

As more women make the transition from service member to veteran, it will be paramount that DoD and VA are able and ready to support these transitioning service members. Part of that care means ensuring proper reproductive care and support for women veterans and their spouses. Currently, access to contraceptives and other reproductive services are not equal between DoD and VA. This means that the services and rights afforded to women service members is not equal to that of women veterans.

Furthermore, ensuring VA is able to provide for these veteran families is paramount to ensuring the overall health and financial wellbeing of all veterans. Current boundaries in law means access to the support services for reproductive and maternity care at VA is lacking and outdated. This must be amended. It is unfair to think that women veterans deserve less out of service than in and these outdated policies disproportionately impact the newest generation of veterans: who are younger, may wait until after service to start a family and are more likely to be female.

IAVA's Recommendations

  • Expand current IVF treatments to be more inclusive of all veterans with reproductive injuries
  • Ensure that all VA primary care physicians are able to provide contraceptive and reproductive guidance to women veterans in their care
  • Ensure parity in contraceptive care between DoD and VA
  • Expand maternity and newborn care in the VA to be comparable with care received in other clinical settings including extending newborn care to more than 7 days

IAVA's Policy Priorities

Select a topic from the list below to learn about IAVA’s policy recommendations for the 117th Congress.