If you meet ANY of the following six eligibility criteria, you can request of your VA physician to participate in the Veterans Community Care Program using your VA coverage.

​

1. If it is in the best interest of the Veteran;

2. If your appointment wait time at a specific VA Medical facility is twenty (20) days from the date of request for primary care, mental health care and non-institutional extended care service,
   OR
   Twenty-eight (28) days for specialty care from the date of request;
   
   If your average drive time is 30 minutes for primary care, mental health, and non-institutional extended care services,
   
   If your average drive time is 60 minutes for specialty care.

3. If a Veteran needs a service not available at any VA medical facility;

4. If a Veteran lives in a U.S. state or territory without a full-service VA medical facility.

5. A Veteran qualifies under the “grandfather” provision related to distance eligibility under the Veterans Choice Program.

6. VA has determined that a VA medical service line is not providing care in a manner that complies with VA’s standards for quality based on specific conditions.

​

Veterans can either choose their preferred community provider or a VA staff member can help select one. The selected community provider must be part of VA’s network. The VA Facility Locator can be used to find a community provider. https://www.va.gov/find-locations/

​

Before scheduling an appointment, it is important for the Veteran to confirm with a VA staff member that they are eligible and authorized for community care.

​

Once authorized to receive community care, Veterans have several options for scheduling an appointment with a community provider, depending on the type of care needed. A Veteran may be able to:

​

• Directly schedule an appointment and inform a VA staff member about the appointment

• Use VA Online Scheduling to request an appointment for certain types of routine services

• Have a VA staff member schedule the appointment

• Have VA's Third Party Administrator (TPA) schedule the appointment

 

VA will send the Veteran and the selected community provider a referral. VA will also send the Veteran's medical documentation to the community provider to ensure proper care coordination between their VA care team and the community provider.

For more detailed information, go to:

https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/General_Care.asp#Appointments

​