Health Policy Analysis Paper Outline

Health Policy Analysis Paper OutlineI. Problem statement: Among veterans, does increased access to care compared to current access standards improve patient outcomes and ultimately reduce the number of suicides? II. BackgroundWait timesAn audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Veterans affairs found widespread wait time inaccuracies in VA medical facilities in North Carolina and Virginia. The inaccuracies vastly understated veteran wait times for thousands of appointments during the 2016 calendar year. As a result veterans eligible for the Choice Program were forced to wait for care at the VA instead of seeking care at a doctor of their choice. In addition an estimated 90 percent of the 15,300 appointments audited in which veterans should have been added to the Veterans Choice List, VA staff did not identify them to be added to the list. 82% of veterans who were added to the Choice lists had to wait longer than 30 days and nearly three months on average. In relation to primary and mental health 36% of new appointments had to wait longer than a month for appointment (Department of Veteran Affairs, 2017).Locations of treatment facilities A disproportionate proportion of Veterans (24%) and