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(Washington DC, Extracted in part from AP) – Nevada Department of Veterans Services Director Kat Miller was there when President Donald Trump signed an extension to the “Choice Program.” Miller was invited because she serves as a Vice President on the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs.  
President Donald Trump signed a bill April 19, 2017 to temporarily extend a program that lets some veterans seek medical care in the private sector, part of an effort by the President to deliver on a campaign promise.  
The extension will give Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin time to develop a more comprehensive plan to allow veterans to more easily go outside the VA health system for care. Under the bill Trump signed into law, the VA will be allowed to continue operating its “Choice Program” until the funding runs out, which is expected early next year. The program was scheduled to expire on Aug. 7 with nearly $1 billion left over.  
The new law also calls for changes to alleviate some problems by speeding up VA payments and promoting greater sharing of medical records. The US Department of Veterans Affairs is working on a new version of the “Choice Program” which is being called, “Choice 2.0” and should be sent to Congress soon for approval. Miller said, “It was important the ‘Choice Program’ be extended as lawmakers continue to work on necessary changes to significantly improve the program.”  
Shulkin has said he would like to expand veterans’ access to private care by eliminating the Choice Program’s current 30-day, 40-mile restrictions. At the same time, he wants the VA to work in partnership by handling all the scheduling and “customer service,” something that congressional auditors say could be unwieldy and expensive.