Buffalo Ledger

The VA Western New York at Buffalo Health Care System, subsidiary 528QA in Buffalo, New York, scheduled 79 pending appointments during the period ending March 1, according to data collected from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Of the total number of appointments, 78 had a wait time of 30 days or less (98.7%) and one appointment (1.3%) was scheduled more than 30 days out.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in January 2019 reported wait times for new appointments at VA health care facilities were similar to or better than wait times at private-sector providers between 2014 and 2017.

However, the Government Accountability Office released a report in July 2019 cautinging the VA's data-tracking system only captures part of the appointment process and fails to account for the time that it takes the VA to enroll veterans in its health benefits program.

The VA explains when veterans apply for benefits, they are assigned to one of eight priority groups, with those who need immediate care due to service-related disabilities placed in higher priority groups. Veterans who do not have service-connected disabilities and earn a higher income are placed in the lower priority groups.

Facility Code	Location	Total Appointments Scheduled	Appointments Scheduled 30 Days or Less	Appointments Scheduled More than 30 Days
528	Buffalo	43,475	40,916	2,559
528A4	Batavia	4,721	4,471	250
528GB	Jamestown	2,287	2,257	30
528GC	Dunkirk	1,457	1,449	8
528GD	Niagara Falls	1,224	1,138	86
528GQ	West Seneca	1,086	1,070	16
528GK	Lockport	1,017	974	43
528GR	Olean	683	667	16
528QA	Buffalo	79	78	1
528QB	Packard	45	44	1

Source: U.S. Veteran's Administration