While it works to improve medical care at some of its hospitals, the Department of Veterans Affairs has decided to cover the cost of emergency treatment provided to veterans at non-VA facilities. As part of newly proposed regulations, the VA also intends to pay for follow-up care at the civilian hospital or medical center that treated the emergency situation. Previously, the VA did not cover costs for this aftercare, but instead required the patient to be moved to a VA facility as soon as he or she was stable.