Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough told members of Congress on Thursday that his aim is to open COVID-19 vaccinations to all veterans, caregivers and spouses by May 1, pending increases in supply.
"We're very focused on May 1 on everyone getting access to the system, but there will be flexibility," McDonough told members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee Thursday in his first testimony to Congress since his February confirmation.
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President Joe Biden signed into law a bill this week that expands eligibility to free coronavirus vaccines to all veterans, caregivers, spouses and others. That ups the number of people VA needs to vaccinate from about 9.5 million to more than 33 million. But supply remains the biggest challenge, McDonough told lawmakers.
"Meeting the task of vaccinating this expanded population will be a tremendous undertaking for the VA and will require a significant increase in our allocation of vaccine supply, but I am confident that VA’s workforce is up to the task," McDonough said in a statement following Biden signing the bill.
As of this week, VA has vaccinated more than 1.59 million individuals, including veterans, VA staff and federal employees. VA has administered at least one dose of the vaccine to more than 3.85 million veterans.
This month and in April, VA plans to hold pilot programs of COVID-19 vaccinations for the veterans, caregivers and family members newly eligible under the bill. Those pilot programs aim to work through the communications, space and staff, registration systems, enrollment and scheduling, documentation and data transmission to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before a nationwide launch.
"We're determined to vaccinate as many veterans as possible, and expand eligibility for vaccinations," McDonough told lawmakers Thursday.
VA currently receives roughly 200,000 single doses of the vaccine each week, and estimates it will need a minimum of 300,000 weekly to offer vaccines to the 3 million more veterans enrolled in VA care but not currently using it. VA will need 600,000 total weekly doses to further expand to all the individuals newly eligible under the bill.
"At this time, we still have a limited amount of vaccines," the department said in a new message on its website this week. "We’re working to determine how quickly we can begin to offer vaccines to these other groups."
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Included in the bill and now eligible for vaccines, when VA has the supply to offer them, are:
- Veterans not enrolled in VA care (including those without service-connected disabilities, or who have incomes above VA's threshold);
- Overseas veterans who rely on the Foreign Medical Program;
- Veteran caregivers enrolled in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, the Program of General Caregiver Support Services, enrolled in certain Geriatrics and Extended Care Programs, such as Veteran Directed Care, Bowel and Bladder, Home Based Primary Care and VA’s Medical Foster Home Program.
- Recipients of the Civilian Health and Medical Programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs;
- Veteran spouses.
McDonough said VA is using all methods at its disposal to let veterans and others know they're eligible for the vaccine at department facilities, including mail, email, social media and text messages. VA's "Vet Text" program has been incredibly effective, he added, including with veterans of all ages.
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Reach Abbie Bennett: abbie@connectingvets.com or @AbbieRBennett.
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