VA Secretary Denis McDonough visits VA Dubuque Clinic and the Iowa City Health Care System, Nov. 2, 2023. (VA photo) More than 9,000 veterans will have access to advanced oncology treatment and monitoring in locations closer to their homes under an expansion of the Department of Veterans Affairs ‘ Close to Me cancer care program, according to VA officials.
In the program, VA providers travel to community-based outpatient clinics to provide diagnostics, treatment and services, rather than the veteran having to travel to a VA medical center.
Since the start of Close to Me in 2021, roughly 500 veterans have been treated for cancer in 20 locations. The expansion, announced last week, will benefit thousands more veterans at 30 additional locales by October 2025 while also saving the VA costs, according to Dr. Michael Kelley, the VA’s executive director for oncology.
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Kelley said the program keeps veterans and their caregivers from having to travel long distances and be away from home for extended periods. He also noted that, given that the VA can negotiate drug costs, the department pays on average one-third less for oncology medications and has saved $1.9 million since introducing it at pilot sites.
"Innovative programs like this allow us to leverage our resources better to meet the veterans’ needs, which are really at the heart of this effort," Kelley said during a press conference April 25.
According to the VA, the program has […]
More Veterans Can Get Cancer Treatment Closer to Home as VA Expands ‘Close to Me’ Program
