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Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launches VA Mission Act. Certain provisions of the VA Mission Act, signed into law a year ago, were put into effect on June 6. These include the Veterans Community Care Program, which allows veterans who must drive more than 30 minutes to a local VA facility or wait more than 20 days to see a primary care or mental health specialist to receive care from selected private sector primary care or mental health facilities. The new plan may also consider as eligible veterans who must drive more than 60 minutes to a VA facility or wait more than 28 days to see a specialist. It is expected to give 1.5 million more veterans access to private care. The VA Mission Act was designed to improve veterans' access to timely care and to provide services that may not be available at local VA facilities.