Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiaries with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had lower dual-care utilization than previously reported for the general VA population, with few patients receiving dual rheumatology care or non-VA RA medications, a recent study found. These findings suggest that most US veterans with RA who access VA care use the VA as their primary source of arthritis care. Researchers administered a questionnaire to RA patients at 3 VA sites. Veterans reported medical services by non-VA primary care and subspecialty providers, comorbidities, non-VA medications, and hospitalizations. They found:

• Of the 510 participants surveyed, 318 (62%) responded.
• Respondents were older (aged 69 vs 66 years), more likely nonsmokers (80% vs 67%), and had lower disease activity than nonrespondents (n=192 [38%]).
• The respondents with a non-VA provider (n=130 [41%]) were older (71 vs 68 years) and had more education (14 vs 13 years) than nondual-care users.
• Only 6% of respondents reported having a non-VA rheumatologist, with 2% receiving a non-VA prescribed biologic agent or disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.