START Act of 2025

# START Act of 2025 - Summary **What it would do:** The START Act would change how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) measures wait times for veterans who are referred to receive medical care from non-VA providers in their communities. Currently, the clock for measuring how long a veteran waits may start at different points in the process.

This bill would standardize it so the waiting period officially begins on the day the veteran has their first appointment with the outside provider, rather than when the referral is first made. **Who it affects:** This legislation primarily affects veterans who use the VA's Community Care Program—a system that allows the VA to pay for eligible veterans to receive medical treatment from private doctors and healthcare facilities outside the VA system. It could indirectly affect the VA itself and community healthcare providers involved in this program. **Current status:** The bill (HR 1972) was introduced in the 119th Congress by Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives.