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Veterans Health Care

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As the largest integrated health care provider in the United States, the Department of Veterans Affairs faces significant challenges in ensuring access to high quality health care for military veterans. RAND has a wealth of expertise in health policy research, which informs its analyses related to the medical care needs of military veterans and their families, as well as the care systems intended to meet them.

Multimedia

Benefits and Applications of a Standardized Definition of High-Quality Care

Dec 17, 2020

RAND senior policy researcher Carrie Farmer presents several ways in which a standardized definition of high-quality care could be used by health care organizations, veterans, and payers.
Essay

There's Help for Veterans with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

Nov 4, 2020

Many post-9/11 veterans who have PTSD or depression also struggle with substance use. There are clinically proven treatments to help break the cycle of the co-occurring disorders, but the VA and other facilities need guidance on how to expand and enhance treatment opportunities for these veterans.

Explore Veterans Health Care

Blog

Paying College Athletes, Preventing Suicide, Planning for Heatwaves: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on a potential step toward paying college athletes, helping college freshmen overcome COVID-19 learning loss, the effects of U.S. sanctions in Syria, more.

Jul 16, 2021
Report

Strategies to Help Prevent Suicide Among Veterans

Suicide rates have been higher among veterans than nonveterans for the past 12 years. And since 2005, the rate has risen faster among veterans than it has for nonveterans. There are opportunities to improve risk identification, evaluation, support, treatments, and interventions.

Jul 15, 2021
Research Brief

Post 9/11 Trends in Medical Separation and Separation for Service Members with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury

Trends in military medical discharges and disability ratings can help the U.S. Department of Defense set goals for diagnosing, treating, and evaluating service members with posttraumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.

May 10, 2021
Report

Evolution of Department of Defense Disability Evaluation and Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury: Overview of Policy Changes, 2001–2018

The authors review major policy changes to the military's disability evaluation system between 2001 and 2018 with a particular focus on changes to policies related to posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

May 10, 2021
Report

Trends in Department of Defense Disability Evaluation System Ratings and Awards for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury, 2002–2017

The authors conduct an empirical analysis of trends in diagnosis, treatment, and disability evaluation for posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury among military service members between 2002 and 2017.

May 10, 2021
Commentary

Infrastructure Investment for Veterans

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides health care to over 9 million veterans through its network of medical facilities. Improved infrastructure could help attract veterans to care, boost provider morale, and ensure high-quality care.

May 4, 2021
Dissertation

Exploring the Influences of External Factors on the Veteran Disability Compensation Program

Explores factors affecting the performance and scope of the veteran disability compensation program.

Feb 23, 2021
Report

Balancing Access and Cost Control in the TRICARE Prescription Drug Benefit

The Military Health System provides health and drug coverage to beneficiaries through TRICARE. This report describes the TRICARE pharmacy benefit and the trade-offs in TRICARE pharmacy policies between increasing access and controlling costs.

Jan 14, 2021
Journal Article

Video Games as a Potential Modality for Behavioral Health Services for Young Adult Veterans: Exploratory Analysis

The objective of our study was to explore differences in video game playing by behavioral health need for young adult veterans to identify potential conditions for which video games could be used as a modality for behavioral health services.

Jan 7, 2021
Journal Article

Drinking to Cope Moderates the Efficacy of Changing Veteran Drinking Norms as a Strategy for Reducing Drinking and Alcohol-Related Problems Among U.S. Veterans

This study is a secondary data analysis that evaluated whether a PNF intervention would work better at reducing perceived norms, drinking, and alcohol-related problems specifically for young adult veterans who drink to cope with negative affect.

Jan 6, 2021
Journal Article

End-of-Life Cost Trajectories in Cancer Patients Treated by Medicare Versus the Veterans Health Administration

To evaluate differences in end-of-life cost trajectories for cancer patients treated through Medicare versus by the Veterans Health Administration (VA).

Dec 30, 2020
Report

Mitigating the Effects of Blast-Related Burn Injuries from Prolonged Field Care to Rehabilitation and Resilience: Proceedings and Expert Findings from a U.S. Department of Defense International State-of-the-Science Meeting

Blast-related burns, which accounted for most burns suffered by service members in the recent conflict in Afghanistan, are difficult to treat. These conference proceedings describe a meeting held at RAND to identify gaps in blast-injury research.

Dec 23, 2020
Periodical

RAND Review: November-December 2020

Features explore the challenge of delivering effective treatments for veterans with co-occuring disorders; teachers, students, and the importance of civic responsibility in present-day America; and teaching and learning in the age of COVID-19.

Nov 16, 2020
Blog

Veterans Day, Psychedelic Drug Policy, Family Caregivers: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses supporting veterans with mental health and substance use disorders, changes to psychedelic drug policy, the vital role of family caregivers, and more.

Nov 13, 2020
Report

How Military Medical Care Has Evolved

How America cares for its war casualties—those physically or mentally wounded in combat—is a high priority. From the Korean War to recent conflicts in the Middle East, there have been dramatic changes in the care that these casualties receive in the field and in hospitals, in the care given to disabled veterans and their dependents, and in who provides that care.

Nov 11, 2020
Q&A

A Voice for Veterans on Capitol Hill: Q&A with Terri Tanielian

Terri Tanielian, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND and an internationally recognized expert on military and veteran health, spent six months as a fellow with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. She helped the committee develop a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy.

Nov 6, 2020
Blog

Truth Decay, Opioid Settlement Funds, Veterans Health Care: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on fighting back against Truth Decay, how to spend opioid settlement funds, China's lack of friends, and more.

Oct 23, 2020
Research Brief

What Does High-Quality Care Mean for Veterans with Invisible Wounds?

Many veterans have difficulty accessing high-quality care for posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. As clinical providers and veteran-serving organizations aim to improve access, a shared definition of high-quality care for these conditions would help them better meet veterans' needs.

Oct 22, 2020

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