Will the VA pay for outside treatment?
VA can pay for emergency medical care outside the United States if the emergency is related to your service-connected condition.
Can veterans use local hospitals?
VA provides health care for Veterans from providers in your local community outside of VA. Veterans may be eligible to receive care from a community provider when VA cannot provide the care needed. This care is provided on behalf of and paid for by VA.
Can the VA refuse to treat you?
You can agree to or refuse any treatment. You will be told what is likely to happen to you if you refuse a treatment. Refusing a treatment will not affect your rights to future care but you take responsibility for the impact this decision may have on your health.
How do I change my VA primary care location?
Let us know right away so we can help set up care in your new location. To change your address, call us at 877-222-VETS (877-222-8387), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.
Will the VA fill prescriptions from outside doctors?
VA cannot fill prescriptions that are written by private physicians. Will the VA pay for a prescription filled at a non-VA pharmacy? No. VA is not responsible for payment of outside physician's fees or medication.
Why do Veterans have their own hospitals?
Prior to World War I, that largely meant issuing benefits and pensions. But a hospital system was established under the Veterans Bureau as medical needs increased sharply during and after World War I — before Medicare or Medicaid existed and when private health insurance was rare.
Can a veteran go to any hospital in an emergency?
Eligibility requirements notwithstanding, Veterans should always seek care at the nearest medical facility during a medical emergency, and never delay emergency medical care.
Why do veterans not like the VA?
Of the veteran and active service members who reported to the annual Wounded Warrior Project Survey that they have never used VA health care services, the most common reasons given included preferring to use other health care coverage and too much trouble or red tape....CharacteristicPercentage of respondents--9 more rows•Jun 20, 2022
Why does the VA not care?
Instead of simply providing care to all veterans who pass statutory muster, VA creates its own set of regulations that further excludes former service members. It assumes that those who received honorable or general (under honorable conditions) discharges qualify as veterans and thus can receive services.
Do Veterans get free healthcare for life?
You can get free VA health care for any illness or injury that we determine is related to your military service (called “service connected”). We also provide certain other services for free.
Can you make too much money to qualify for VA benefits?
If your health care eligibility is based on financial need, your family net worth (over $80,000) can prevent you from qualifying for VA health care. For more information, click here.
How do I change providers at the VA?
If you decide you want to change to a different primary care doctor, you'll need to talk to your health care team leader or to the patient advocate at your VA medical center.
How far can you go outside of the VA for medical care?
VA Changes 40-Miles Rule For Private Medical Care Veterans may go outside the VA for private medical care if they had to wait more than 30 days for an appointment or live more than 40 miles from a VA facility. The location rule has been updated.
How long can a vet stay outside the VA?
Vets are allowed to go outside the VA system for care if they have to wait more than 30 days for an appointment or live more than 40 miles from a VA facility. Steve Walsh of Lakeshore Public Media in northwest Indiana had our original story. He reports now on the VA's announcement yesterday that they have changed their 40-mile rule.
How far away is the VA from the front door?
STEVE WALSH, BYLINE: Veteran's Choice, the new VA program, measured 40 miles from a veteran's front door to the nearest VA clinic or hospital in a straight line, as the crow flies. Now the VA will measure 40 miles based on actual driving distance. It hopes ditching the crow fly's measure will make more veterans eligible for the program. The new rule won't fix a different problem. Some vets live near a VA facility, like a small clinic, but they need care somewhere else. That nearby clinic disqualifies them from going outside the VA. That troubled John Birdzell, who I met when I first reported this story.
Can a veteran go outside the VA?
Veterans may go outside the VA for private medical care if they had to wait more than 30 days for an appointment or live more than 40 miles from a VA facility. The location rule has been updated. DAVID GREENE, HOST:
How far away from a VA facility can you get care?
These rules will replace the more rigid distance rule under Choice that veterans must reside more than 40 miles from a VA facility with a primary-care provider. The VA estimates that this change alone will make 20 percent more veterans eligible for outside primary care, and 31 percent more veterans eligible for network specialty care, than under current community-care programs, including Choice.
How long does a veteran have to wait to get VA care?
Choice allows community-based care if veterans face waits for VA appointments longer than 30 days. The new standard will make them eligible to use the private sector if waits for VA appointments are longer than 20 days for primary care, ...
What is the urgency care regulation?
The urgent care regulation emphasizes that the new benefit is not to be used by veterans needing treatment for chronic conditions, which should continue to be managed through their primary-care providers. But the community-care access rules are drawing the most attention from veterans groups and members of the Veterans Affairs Committees.
What are the new VA access standards?
The new access standards will be based on factors generally familiar to veterans who sought private-sector care under Choice: average drive time to get VA care and wait times to get VA appointments. But a VA spokesman said the new access screens "are based on an in-depth analysis of all of the access best practices in both government and private-sector health care systems and tailored to the needs of our veteran patients."
What is the VA's concern about the new access standards?
1 concern about the new access standards, he added, is whether the VA's budgets will be large enough to cover the significant jump in community-based medical costs expected from expanding access, ensuring that VA hospitals and clinics don't see their budgets get squeezed.
What are the key questions that the DAV needs answered?
Key questions the DAV needs answered, said Reese, are whether the access rules are fully funded, are realistic and feasible to implement. One great unknown, he said, is whether VA-funded community provider networks will be sufficiently staffed to deliver faster, more convenient and quality care to veterans.
Does Tricare use drive time?
He also worries that the VA touts the fact that Tricare, the military health plan, also uses average drive time to determine eligibility. But Tricare uses drive time to make initial enrollment decisions, not "as a decision point for access to care," Blake said.
How long can a veteran wait to see a VA doctor?
Rules established under the law and published Wednesday in the Federal Register say the VA will pay for veterans to see non-VA doctors if they have to wait longer than 20 days or drive more than 30 minutes for primary or mental healthcare at a VA facility.
Can you go to a VA urgent care clinic without approval?
The rules going into effect Thursday also allow veterans to go to non-VA urgent care clinics at VA expense without prior approval, though they may have to pay a co-payment. Trump signed the law last June, known as the VA MISSION Act, but its key provisions didn’t take effect until now.
What is the first requirement for an ER visit?
The first requirement is the ER visit must meet the definition of an emergency. The definition of an emergency is based on the “prudent layperson” standard that a delay in care would be hazardous to life or health . This is often a difficult test for a veteran to argue with a VA administrator. Veterans must use the VA for healthcare ...
How long does it take to appeal a VA denial?
The denial can be appealed . The appeal must be made with one year of the denial letter. Get legal assistance as soon as possible in the event of a denial.
Do veterans have to be registered with the VA?
Veterans must use the VA for healthcare and be registered as a VA patient. It is not an exclusive requirement that the veteran receive all their health care at the VA but the veteran must have accessed health care at a VA facility within 24 months prior to the emergency room visit. The veteran cannot have any other insurance nor can ...
Can you contact the VA after emergency care?
This is not always reasonably possible but usually expected. Veterans are advised to contact the VA as soon as possible after receiving emergency care. A recommended way to meet this requirement is to have the ER physician contact the closest VA facility to consult with the VA ER physician on a treatment plan.
Can a veteran have any other insurance?
The veteran cannot have any other insurance nor can a third-party have any liability for the illness or injury which the veteran is seeking care. This could include workman comp and other situations when a third-party caused the illness or injury.
Can you get emergency care in a non-VA hospital?
Getting emergency health care in a non-VA health care facility paid for by the Veterans Administration is allowed but often difficult for veterans to succeed at. There are very strict guidelines to this benefit. A veteran trying to get their non-VA emergency room visit paid for must meet ALL the requirements.
How far away from VA medical facility do you have to be to be eligible for Veterans Choice?
You reside in a State or a United States Territory without a full-service VA medical facility that provides hospital care, emergency services and surgical care, and reside more than 20 miles from such a VA medical facility. Note: This criterion applies to Veterans residing in Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Also note that some Veterans in New Hampshire reside within 20 miles of White River Junction VAMC and are therefore not eligible for the Veterans Choice Program.
How to travel to VA medical facility?
You need to travel by air, boat, or ferry to the VA medical facility closet to your house. You face an unusual or excessive burden in traveling to the closest VA medical facility based on a geographic challenge, environmental factor, medical condition, or other specific clinical decisions.
How to contact Veterans Choice Program?
Call the VCP Call Center at 866-606-8198 or visit the Veterans Choice Program website to verify eligibility and set up an appointment here. 3.
How long does it take to get a prescription reimbursement from the VA?
Prescriptions can be reimbursed through the Business Office/Non-VA Care Coordination Office at VA facilities. This reimbursement may take 30-45 days to process, and requires a copy of the prescription and the original receipt. Veterans cannot be reimbursed at the VA Pharmacy.
How long can you get a prescription for a drug in VA?
The community provider you see through the VCP can issue a prescription for up to a 14 day supply of a national formulary drug. You may have the 14 day supply filled at any non-VA pharmacy of your choosing.
How long do you have to wait to get an appointment with the VA?
To be eligible for the program, you must be enrolled in VA health care and must also meet at least one of the following criteria: You are told by your local VA medical facility that you will need to wait more than 30 days for an appointment.
What is the VA law 115-26?
Public Law 115-26, enacted April 19, 2017, made three key changes to help improve the VCP. The law removed the expiration date for the program, made VA primary coordinator of benefits for services provided to you, and it removed barriers with sharing necessary health information with community providers.
What happens if you go to the VA with something non emergent?
If you go to a VA with something non emergent you might be directed to a different emergency room unless you are a veteran.
Can a non-veteran be billed for VA services?
So, in further answer to the question: If a non-veteran receives any clinical care from a VA hospital, that person may be billed for any services provided.
Is VA hospital family friendly?
VA hospitals are not family friendly, it fails to take into account that veterans have families depending on them.
Can EMS take civilians to VA?
Most EMS services will not take a civilian to a VA facility. If a non-veteran were to walk in, they would likely be stabilized and then immediately transferred to a local community hospital or facility. And yes, the civilian would likely be billed at humanitarian rates.
Can you treat a sore foot before 911?
No. We will however treat and stabilize you before 911 ing you to a civilian hospital. There are some civilians who can receive some services- all relatives of vets meeting certain criteria. But if the average joe walks in with a sore foot, no, we’ll be polite but even if you fib your way back to ER- we will find you and you will be graced with a bill. (Realize we are the feds... and so is the IRS... we might share non-medical information).
Can you be treated for an emergency?
You would only be treated for the emergency condition, or to stabilize you so you could be transferred to another more appropriate facility. And you’d be billed for the services rendered. Those are the same rules any ER would follow.
Can a vet treat a patient with a real emergency?
Technically unless you are an enrolled vet you are not entitled to medical services. But federal law says any ER must treat a patient with a real emergency; and it would be done anyway just based on medical ethics, unless there was another facility close by that could treat you better.