Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA)
WASHINGTON, DC — Legislation recently introduced in the Senate seeks to push VA and DoD to adopt a single credentialing system for healthcare providers, eliminating the redundant processes that create unnecessary delays in clinician hiring. It also would theoretically allow clinicians to move more easily between DoD and VA facilities.
Credentialing includes confirming residency and fellowship certificates, state medical licenses, malpractice insurance, curriculum vitae, as well as checking letters of recommendation and professional references. The departments currently use two separate credentialing and privileging systems, and approval through one does not transfer to the other, forcing clinicians to repeat the process when they move from DoD to VA or even sometimes between individual facilities. This can take weeks or months, depending on the human resources capacity of the specific hospital.
Congressional hearings and internal investigations into hiring and staffing difficulties at VA have identified delays in credentialing as a key factor in the department’s inability to fill vacancies. Prospective VA employees have reported delays as long as 5 months following a tentative offer before the credentialing process even begins, with start dates pushed back multiple times. Some prospective hires drop out of the process altogether due to the long delays.
While the legislation combining VA and DoD’s credentialing system won’t alleviate delays for civilians being hired into the VA system, its authors hope to at least make it easier for military providers.
“Healthcare providers shouldn’t be hindered by bureaucratic red tape when caring for the men and women who have bravely served our nation,” said bill co-author Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) “Our bipartisan legislation would end unnecessary duplication so that medical providers can move between [DoD and VA] more quickly, ensuring service members and veterans get the high-quality care they need without delay.”
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA)
If passed, the two departments would have four months to provide Congress with a report on their current credentialing and privileging systems. That report would include a description of each of their limitations, any gaps in administration and interoperability, as well as each systems’ potential for scalability.
Using that data, VA and DoD would have until Jan. 1, 2027, to choose one of the two to serve as the joint uniform system. The departments then would have a little over a year to get the joint system up and running.
“Efficiently aligning [the departments’] complementary healthcare missions will enhance patient care and provider readiness while saving taxpayers’ dollars,” said Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC), who introduced companion legislation in the House.
Meanwhile, separate legislation designed to reduce credentialing delays for DoD providers moving from duty station to duty station has been stuck in committee for months. However, language from the bill might be included in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act that lawmakers hoped to pass by the end of January.
As written, the Digital Oversight Credentials for Service Members (DOCS) Act would overhaul and centralize the military’s credentialing process under the Defense Health Agency. The act would allow the commanding officer of a healthcare facility to verify the licensure of a professional, regardless of the location of the facility or the armed force where the provider serves. It would require DoD to complete at least 90% of these verifications within 7 days of the request, as long as it does not relate to a provider with an “adverse record.”
“Bureaucratic red tape shouldn’t delay military doctors and nurses from seeing and treating their patients for months,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA). “But unfortunately, bottlenecks in military treatment facilities recredentialing, even when moving from one military facility to another, can take up to 6 months.”
“As a Navy veteran and healthcare provider, I know how frustrating and harmful these delays can be,” said the bill’s other co-sponsor Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA). “The DOCS Act delivers a simple, common-sense solution: Verify licenses quickly, centrally and consistently—so our providers can do what they were trained to do: Take care of our service members and their families.”
