WC Iowa News

The VA Central Iowa Health Care System, subsidiary 636GM in Carroll, Iowa, scheduled 1,308 pending appointments during the period ending March 1, according to data collected from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Of the total number of appointments, 1,091 had a wait time of 30 days or less (83.4%) and 217 appointments (16.6%) were scheduled more than 30 days out.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in January 2019 reported wait times for new appointments at VA health care facilities were similar to or better than wait times at private-sector providers between 2014 and 2017.

However, the Government Accountability Office released a report in July 2019 cautinging the VA's data-tracking system only captures part of the appointment process and fails to account for the time that it takes the VA to enroll veterans in its health benefits program.

The VA explains when veterans apply for benefits, they are assigned to one of eight priority groups, with those who need immediate care due to service-related disabilities placed in higher priority groups. Veterans who do not have service-connected disabilities and earn a higher income are placed in the lower priority groups.

Facility Code	Location	Total Appointments Scheduled	Appointments Scheduled 30 Days or Less	Appointments Scheduled More than 30 Days
636A6	Des Moines	23,993	20,710	3,283
636GK	Fort Dodge	2,675	2,483	192
636GC	Mason City	2,664	2,482	182
636GM	Carroll	1,308	1,091	217
636GR	Knoxville	1,090	977	113
636GD	Marshalltown	773	754	19
636GX	Fort Dodge	290	290	0
636QB	Des Moines	95	95	0
636BU	Des Moines	13	13	0

Source: U.S. Veteran's Administration