For veterans with disabilities or limited income, traveling several hours to another state for medical care is a significant barrier to staying healthy. This bill addresses the issue of 'healthcare deserts' within the VA system. If this becomes law, veterans in every state will have a legal guarantee that they can receive a full range of medical services without crossing state lines.

Without this law, the VA can continue to rely on a regional model where one state’s facility serves multiple neighboring states. This often places an unfair burden on veterans who happen to live in states like New Hampshire, where the VA presence is more limited compared to larger neighbors like Massachusetts.