Maui Reporter

The VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, subsidiary 459GA in Kahului, Hawaii, scheduled 2,582 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, 2,408 had a wait time of 30 days or less (93.3%) and 174 appointments (6.7%) were 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
459	Urban Honolulu	23,862	21,586	2,276
459GA	Kahului	2,582	2,408	174
459GE	Guam	2,356	2,325	31
459GB	Hilo	2,322	2,111	211
459GD	Lihue	2,127	2,043	84
459GG	Ewa Beach	1,887	1,795	92
459GC	Kailua	1,879	1,735	144
459GF	American Samoa	384	378	6
459GH	Saipan	109	107	2
459QB	Kaunakakai	91	86	5

Source: U.S. Veteran's Administration