WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) moves forward with a massive reorganization of its Community Care Network, a new national survey of veterans conducted on behalf of United Veterans Care Alliance highlights strong support for targeted VA reforms, and deep concern about the scope and risks of the VA’s consolidation proposal.

On December 15, the VA announced a request for proposals (RFP) that would guide a sweeping overhaul of its Community Care Network, consolidating the current five regions into just two. The contracts associated with this restructuring could be worth up to $1 trillion over 10 years and would significantly reshape how veterans access health care nationwide, while expanding opportunities for large health care networks. Against that backdrop, Public Opinion Strategies conducted a national survey of 800 veterans between December 4–11, 2025. The survey has a margin of error of ±3.95%. Neil Newhouse served as the primary researcher on the project.

The survey finds that veterans generally rate their health care positively overall, but veterans who rely on VA care report lower satisfaction with both quality and access compared to veterans receiving non-VA care, underscoring the need for continued, practical improvements within the system.

Veterans overwhelmingly support targeted reforms aimed at making VA care work better, including removing unnecessary hurdles for community care referrals, stabilizing caregiver support eligibility, and extending community-care authorization periods to reduce bureaucratic delays.

However, support drops sharply for the VA’s proposed consolidation of Community Care regions when potential risks are included. Fewer than half of veterans initially support reducing the number of regions from five to two, with opposition especially strong among rural veterans. When veterans are presented with additional information about the potential impacts of consolidation – including reduced competition creating near-monopolies, longer wait times, and potential loss of current providers – support falls to roughly one-third.

“These findings are especially important as the VA considers contracts of unprecedented size and scope,” said Ramsey Sulayman, Senior Adviser of United Veterans Care Alliance. “Veterans are telling federal policymakers they want meaningful fixes that improve access and continuity of care, but worry about a restructuring that offers less competition, fewer choices,  disruptions in care, and new administrative hurdles. Veterans recognize that more competition yields better results, more choice and this survey ensures veterans’ voices are heard at a critical moment.”

The survey also points to clear political implications. A majority of veterans (51%) say they would be less likely to vote for a congressional candidate who supports the proposed consolidation, a response that cuts across party affiliation and geographic lines. 

Open-ended responses reinforce these concerns, with veterans repeatedly citing fears of monopolization, longer wait times, loss of provider choice, and increased burdens on vulnerable veterans and their families.

United Veterans Care Alliance, which shared the survey results in advance of a U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing this morning, says the results underscore the importance of carefully evaluating the VA’s proposed reorganization and prioritizing reforms that preserve choice, competition, and timely access to care as the RFP process moves forward. A survey memo from Public Opinion Strategies is attached.

###

Public Opinion Survey

Public Opinion Strategies recently completed a national survey of 800 veterans. The survey was conducted December 4th – 11th, 2025, and has a confidence interval of ±3.95%. The memo below outlines some key findings from the survey.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Veterans give their current health care high marks overall, but those using the VA rate quality and access lower than peers in non-VA care. At the same time, veterans overwhelmingly back targeted VA fixes that ease referrals, stabilize caregiver support, and extend community-care authorizations. However, support falls below half for the VA’s plan to shrink the Community Care Network from five regions to two—especially in rural areas—and drops to roughly one-third after respondents hear more, with the most persuasive concerns centering on veterans being billed and forced to seek reimbursement, reduced competition/near-monopoly dynamics, potential loss of current doctors and longer waits, and the government’s poor track record with similar restructurings. Politically, a candidate who supports consolidation faces clear downsides among veterans (majority say less likely to vote), cutting across both geography and party.

KEY FINDINGS

Veterans who receive health care through the VA rate both the quality and accessibility of their health care lower than those receiving non-VA care.

• Overall, veterans give high marks to the quality (79% excellent/good) and accessibility (81% excellent/good) of the health care that they receive.
  • Among veterans receiving care through the VA (54% of the sample) – 74% rate the quality as excellent/good and 76% rate the accessibility as excellent/good.
  • Among those receiving non-VA care – 85% rate the quality as excellent/good and 87% rate the accessibility as excellent/good.

All three VA-announced changes to improve the quality of care it provides for veterans are met with widespread support.

• 91% of respondents support removing the extra VA doctor review step previously required for community care referrals, making it easier for veterans to access care outside the VA system.
• Similarly, 91% support expanding eligibility for its caregiver support program to reduce the frequency of eligibility reassessments for both veterans and their family caregivers.
• Three-in-four (75%) support increasing community care authorizations periods of 90-180 days to one year for thirty standardized types of care.

But, when informed about the proposed change to reduce the number of Community Care regions from five to two, support drops below fifty percent.

• Less than half (48%) of respondents support this aspect of the VA’s proposal, while over one-third (36%) oppose it.
• Support is lower among rural respondents (32%) and those in the Midwest (33%).

Support for the reduction of regions from five to two plummets further when veterans are presented with additional information.

• After hearing messaging about the impacts of the VA’s proposed change, support decreases from less than half (48%) to less than a third (32%).
• The most impactful information deals with the functional monopoly created for two health care companies (77% convincing), the government’s poor track record in restructuring VA care (76% convincing), and changes potentially impacting access to their current doctors (78% convincing).

A majority of veterans polled say they would be LESS LIKELY to vote for a candidate for Congress from their district if that candidate supported the VA’s proposal.

• Over half (51%) say they would be less likely to vote for a Congressional candidate is they supported this proposal, while only 25% say the candidate’s support would make them more likely to vote for them.
• Furthermore, this trend cuts across both geographic and partisan boundaries:
  • Urban – 31% more likely / 45% less likely
  • Suburban – 24% more likely / 51% less likely
  • Rural – 12% more likely / 66% less likely
  • GOP – 30% more likely / 46% less likely
  • IND – 19% more likely / 53% less likely
  • DEM – 26% more likely / 55% less likely

When veterans are asked for the most important reasons why they oppose this aspect of the VA’s proposed program changes, their answers touch on monopoly fears, longer wait times, and increased overall burdens placed on the most vulnerable.

• “It doesn't sound like healthcare is more important than admin. Two giant regions doesn't smack of streamlining and leaves the competition to only the few who could administer it. Limited to no competition means less choice for the patients and who knows what kind of wait times.”
• “The consolidation down to two centers for handling all of the veterans medical needs will only lead to confusion and frustration for many veterans. The only losers in the proposed program changes are the veterans.”
• “Consolidating to two companies will limit choices and increase wait times.”
• “Two companies is essentially a monopoly… vets will be trapped.”
• “Fewer providers mean longer waits.”
• “Limiting community care to two providers is a formula for failure.”
• “Veterans shouldn’t have to pay and then chase reimbursement.”
• “The veteran being billed directly and then having to get reimbursed sounds like it’s going to be a stressful disaster.”