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Rural Health
News by Topic: Veterans

May 13, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeking comments on the reinstatement of an information collection related to the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP). The information collected will be used by the VA to award grants under the SSG Fox SPGP and to assess services and compliance with the grants. Comments are due by June 12, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
May 11, 2026 - Profiles the work of the Northern Arizona VA Health Care System, which serves a population of about 34,000 patients across about 65,000 square miles. The three VA systems in Arizona offer transportation service primarily for veterans who are older and no longer able to drive, but also assist homeless veterans and those who do not have access to transportation.
Source: Cronkite News
May 5, 2026 - Announces the opening of the VA Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP), providing loan repayment support to recent physician graduates in exchange for clinical service at a VA facility. Details program eligibility and application information. The SELRP application cycle will close May 31, 2026.
Source: VA News
Related funding: Veterans Affairs Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP)
Apr 26, 2026 - The Veterans Affairs' TelePharmacy program, available in selected areas across the country, gives remote access to veterans who live in areas without a pharmacy specialist. The My HealtheVet app can be used to verify appointment times, refill prescriptions, and send secure messages to patients' VA care teams.
Source: VA News
Apr 17, 2026 - Notice from the Department of Defense (DOD) making corrections to the April 10, 2026, notice announcing the extension of the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration (CBSD) through December 31, 2031. This correction is effective April 17, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 16, 2026 - The Birmingham, Alabama VA Health Care System is starting a mobile prosthetics program, which will make it easier for rural veterans to get specialty care. The unit will visit 3 community outpatient clinics, and can provide on-site evaluations, adjustments, and fittings.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Apr 10, 2026 - Notice from the Department of Defense (DOD) announcing the extension of the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration (CBSD) by five years, through December 31, 2031. The purpose of CBSD is to evaluate the cost, quality of care, and impact of covering the services of doulas and lactation consultants or counselors not otherwise authorized by TRICARE on maternal and fetal outcomes. This notice also seeks comments on CBSD and its potential integration into the TRICARE Basic benefit. Comments are due by May 11, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announcing that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) intends to reestablish the Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee for a 2-year period. The committee advises the Secretary of VA on rural healthcare issues affecting Veterans, examines programs and policies that impact the delivery of VA rural health care to Veterans, and discusses ways to improve and enhance VA access to rural healthcare services for Veterans.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 3, 2026 - Announces a new partnership between the Atlanta VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) and the Morehouse School of Medicine's Graduate Education in Nursing (GENIE) program. The partnership will enhance nursing education for veterans with a focus on female veterans and improving access to rural and other underserved communities in Georgia.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Mar 18, 2026 - Describes proposed legislation aiming to increase access to healthcare for veterans in rural areas. A 5-year pilot program would create a preauthorization pathway for outpatient services for veterans within 35 miles of a Critical Access Hospital.
Source: Office of Senator Kevin Cramer