Dial 3 for Good Government: How Josh Geiger and the VA Revolutionized Emergency Care for Veterans

If you think government can’t move fast, meet Josh Geiger—a Marine veteran and the Director of Operations for National Emergency Medicine at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In a powerful and personal episode of The Good Government Show, Geiger shared how his own frustrating health experience sparked an idea that’s now changing lives nationwide: Tele Emergency Care, a new way for veterans to get real-time, high-quality emergency care without ever leaving home.

“You call your VA medical center, you dial 3. It’s that easy,” Geiger said. “It’s acute, unscheduled care—no fighting for parking, no sitting in a waiting room. Veterans love it because it works.”

The numbers speak for themselves: what started in 2018 as a grassroots pilot is now a nationwide program, with 18 facilities participating and more coming online. Designed especially with rural and older veterans in mind, the system lets patients connect with emergency doctors via phone or video. And yes—it even impressed Geiger’s 72-year-old Marine mom. “She called me and said, ‘I used the new service. It was great. I didn’t have to drive in the snow!’” he laughed.

For Geiger, who left the Marines after an injury, the mission is deeply personal. “I get my care at the VA. I sit in those waiting rooms. So when something isn’t working, I know it—and I want to fix it,” he said. That spirit of service has driven him to help redesign urgent care policies, expand access in rural areas, and keep innovating even amid federal budget pressures.

“We’re here to serve. That’s what good government is—creating spaces where people can bring their ideas forward and make them real.”

Listen to the full episode with Josh Geiger now at GoodGovernmentShow.com