Veterans living in the Peoria area may no longer have to travel as far as Indianapolis or Danville to get medical treatment at a VA facility.
OSF HealthCare announced Friday that it's now a participant in the VA Choice Provider Program.
That means veterans who live in communities served by OSF HealthCare may now be eligible to see locally available health care providers, without having to travel to a Veterans Health Administration facility.
The program was set up to get local, private health care for veterans who live 40 miles away or can’t be seen by the VA within a month.
Congress created the Choice Program two years ago after findings surfaced that many veterans across the country were waiting months for essential medical care. But the same lawmakers who designed VA Choice now say veterans are still experiencing delays getting calls through to set up appointments.
OSF Healthcare says veterans must coordinate with the VA to access their VA Choice Provider services.