WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) have introduced legislation to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implement guidelines to streamline information-sharing between community care providers and VA medical centers. The Coordinating and Aligning Records to Improve and Normalize Governance (CARING) for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025 would enable the Office of Integrated Veteran Care to better track medical documentation after a veteran receives care from a community provider. It would also require the VA to measure the performance of timeliness and efficiency in obtaining community care records.

Nearly 75% of veterans return to VA medical centers for continued care after receiving services from community providers, increasing the risk of medical documentation between providers falling through the cracks. The Office of Integrated Veteran Care of the Veterans Health Administration currently lacks systemwide visibility into whether medical documentation from community providers is being received, jeopardizing oversight and clinical coordination for Maine’s veterans.

“Veterans in Maine and across the country have sacrificed greatly in service to the nation and it is our job to now return the favor,” said Senator King. “The CARING for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025 would ensure that veterans have access to the best care by improving information-sharing between community care providers and VA medical centers to reduce the chances of important details falling through the cracks. I am grateful to my colleague, Senator Ricketts, for working with me on this important legislation putting veterans first.”

“Our veterans deserve our utmost respect and gratitude,” said Senator Ricketts. “In order to ensure our veterans receive the best standard of care, it is important that their medical history is shared and available for VA medical centers following care in the community. This bill will help establish guidelines and procedures for VA medical facilities to obtain medical documentation from community care providers.”

The CARING for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025 would require that the Office of Integrated Veteran Care supervised by the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs:

• Develops guidance for the efforts of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs in obtaining final medical documentation after a veteran receives services from a community care provider pursuant to a referral from that medical center;
• Establishes goals and related performance measures for medical centers of the Department in obtaining initial and final medical documentation from community care providers;
• Establishes and monitors goals and related performance measures for the completion by such providers of core trainings and ensures that such providers complete the required training course; and
• Takes steps to ensure that the Office of Integrated Veteran Care and any contractor for that Office communicate clear and accurate information to such providers regarding the core trainings recommended or required by that Office, including whether such training is recommended or required.

As reliance on community care for veterans continues to grow, establishing clear expectations for tracking final documentation and creating monitoring goals and performance measures will enable the Office of Integrated Veteran Care to identify gaps and strengthen the systemwide exchange of information. This legislation is supported by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).

Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. A member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), he works to ensure American veterans receive their earned benefits and that the VA is properly implementing various programs such as the PACT Act, the State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act, and the John Scott Hannon Act. Recently, in a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins, Senator King joined his colleagues in urging for immediate action to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), a measure that would protect millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. In addition, he helped pass the Veterans COLA Act, which increased benefits for 30,000 Maine veterans and their families.

Recently, Senator King introduced bipartisan legislation alongside SVAC Chairman Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) to improve care coordination for veterans who rely on both VA health care and Medicare. In February, Senator King was honored by the Disabled American Veterans as its 2025 Legislator of the Year. Last year, he was recognized by the Wounded Warrior Project as the 2024 Legislator of the Year for his “outstanding legislative effort and achievement to improve the lives of the wounded, ill, and injured veterans.” Senator King also recently joined his colleagues in raising concerns over proposed plans to terminate 83,000 VA employees, and participated in a special investigative SVAC hearing to question witnesses who were terminated due to DOGE cuts. In May, Senators King and Blumenthal wrote again to Secretary Collins demanding an explanation for DOGE cuts to cancel contracts at VA that would impact health care for Maine veterans.

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