Legislation awaiting final approval in the Senate would give veterans more freedom to see doctors outside the Department of Veterans Affairs’ health system.
Passage would represent a major step toward delivering on President Donald Trump’s pledge to expand private care.
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The House passed the bill last week, and senators are expected to do the same later Wednesday.
The measure would let veterans — with approval from a VA health provider — see private doctors when they don’t get the treatment they expected.
Veterans could access private care when they have endured lengthy wait times or when VA medical centers don’t offer the services they need.
The bill also would avert a shutdown of the VA’s Choice private-sector program, which will run out of money as early as May 31.
