The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced a change that allows women Veterans to schedule appointments directly with VA gynecology providers without needing a referral from a primary care provider. This new process is effective immediately and aims to simplify access for the more than one million women Veterans enrolled in VA health care.
Previously, women Veterans were required to obtain a referral from their primary care provider before seeing a VA gynecology specialist. The updated policy removes this step, enabling enrolled women Veterans to contact specialists directly if they choose.
“This is what it looks like when VA is focused on putting Veterans first,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “By relentlessly focusing on customer service and convenience, we are building a department that works better for the men and women we are charged with serving.”
This development follows several other initiatives by the VA during the second Trump Administration. According to information released by the department, there has been a 57% reduction in the backlog of Veterans waiting for benefits since January 20, after an increase of 24% during the previous administration. The VA also reported eliminating backlogs for Veteran families seeking health care and processing three million disability claims by September 30, marking an all-time high for claims processed in one fiscal year.
Additionally, the VA has opened 20 new health care clinics nationwide since January 20 and provided over 1.4 million appointments outside normal hours—including early mornings, evenings, and weekends—to improve timely access to care. In fiscal year 2025, more than 51,900 homeless Veterans were permanently housed across the country—the highest total in seven years.
The department is also allocating $800 million toward infrastructure improvements at its facilities using funds saved through reform efforts. Other recent changes include making it easier for enrolled Veterans to access non-VA providers at department expense and implementing reforms intended to assist survivors seeking benefits.
Further actions highlighted by the agency involve accelerating deployment of an integrated electronic health record system after prior delays; collaborating with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to recover $106 million in duplicate billing; returning many employees to office-based work; terminating most union contracts while redirecting related spending toward Veteran services; ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs introduced under previous leadership; and beginning to phase out treatment for gender dysphoria.
