Google Cloud to Improve Third-Party Developers’ Access to VA’s API Library

The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded Google Cloud a multi-year contract to provide developer tools to improve veterans’ access to VA services and data.

Under the term of the $13 million deal, Google Cloud will deploy its Apigee application programming interface management platform to support VA’s own suite of developer tools.

Apigee will assist the expansion of VA’s Lighthouse API program, an API library designed to make it easier for third-party developers to access data in categories such as appeals, benefits, health, facilities, forms and veteran identification, Google Cloud said Wednesday.

Google Cloud added that Apigee will allow developers to use the department’s Benefits API to develop apps that veterans can use to submit and track electronic benefits claims.

Mike Daniels, vice president of global public sector at Google Cloud, said that Apigee will drive innovation at VA and make it and improve the digital experience for veterans and their families.

Google Cloud said that the Apigee platform is authorized under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, a government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to assessing the security of cloud-based products and services.

The company added that Apigee will support VA’s ongoing efforts to maintain compliance with data protection regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources standard for exchanging electronic health records.

VA is the largest health care provider in the United States and serves more than 19 million veterans and their families, Google Cloud said.