Government Healthcare Policy, Business and Technology

VA seeks to funnel more nursing home money to rural areas

Modern Healthcare: Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin said Monday during a visit to Montana that his agency will propose changes to make it easier for rural areas to receive funding to build nursing homes for veterans.Rural areas are often bypassed under the agency's existing guidelines for awarding grants for veterans' homes, Shulkin told reporters after touring VA facilities and meeting with veterans in Helena."If we don't change the rules to make sure that being in a rural area increases the likelihood of funding, we're not going to get to be able to help residents of Montana," Shulkin said.Montana veterans and lawmakers have been seeking funding for about a decade to build a veterans' home for the southwestern part of the state.

Read article