Heritage Foundation's
Project 2025

Chapter 20 - Department of Veteran Affairs

• Rescind clinical policy directives on abortion services and gender reassignment surgery
• Focus on effects of shifting veteran demographics
• Codify VA MISSION Act access standards in legislation
• Create a veterans bill of rights
• Implement new Secretarial directives to properly implement the VA MISSION Act
• Require VHA to report publicly on all aspects of its operation
• Encourage VA Medical Centers to seek academic and private-sector input
• Conduct an independent audit of the VA
• Assess misalignment of VHA facilities and rising infrastructure costs
• Embrace expansion of Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs)
• Explore facility-sharing partnerships with local health systems
• Extend the term of the Under Secretary for Health to five years
• Establish a Senior Executive Service position of VHA Care System Chief Information Officer
• Identify workflow processes to bring wait times in compliance with VA MISSION Act requirements
• Assess daily clinical appointment load for physicians and staff
• Require VHA facilities to increase the number of patients seen each day
• Consider pilot programs to extend appointment hours and offer Saturday options
• Identify clinical services in high demand and examine exceptions for higher competitive pay
• Assess medical facilities where Community Care referrals are below average
• Explore leveraging telehealth to reduce personnel costs
• Assess recruitment and retention in competitive medical markets
• Consider aggressively recruiting retired physicians
• Consider expanding VA tuition assistance in exchange for service
• Examine surpluses or deficits in mental health professionals
• Conduct assessment of Electronic Health Record transition delays and functionality problems
• Identify performance targets for benefits and report publicly on actual performance
• Develop a new pilot "Express 30" commitment for veteran's first disability compensation claim
• Hire more private companies to perform disability medical examinations
• Increase automation in claims processing
• Reduce improper payment and fraud
• Explore accelerating VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) reviews
• Reexamine VBA's Information Technology budget
• Reform Human Capital Management process within VBA
• Improve VBA acquisition workforce
• Establish knowledge exchange program with private-sector companies
• Recruit more innovative and technologically savvy leadership for VBA
• Rescind all delegations of authority from prior administration
• Transfer career Senior Executive Service out of political appointee-designated positions
• Critically examine hybrid and remote work policies
• Expedite acquisition of new Human Resources Information Technology system
• Broaden pay and benefits in critical VA skill sets
• Continue maximizing use of new VA hiring and pay authorities
• Foster a culture that is mission-driven and responsive to veterans
• Increase employee satisfaction to improve recruitment and retention
• Train leaders to promote productive workplace culture
• Focus more attention on hiring veterans and military spouses
• Increase number and utilization of Limited Term Appointment Senior Executive Service positions
• Manage relationship with organized labor more effectively
• Work with Congress to sunset the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection
• Consider decoupling Human Resources and Administration from the Office of Security and Preparedness