HERE’S HOW VETS CAN ACCESS HEALTHCARE SERVICES UNDER THE MISSION ACT


By sfelty
Doctor providing care under the mission act.

The Community Care Program was launched by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2018. The law, the Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act, provides Veterans timely access to healthcare nationwide. The MISSION Act helps the VA with the delivery of high quality, accessible care at VA facilities across the country. Focusing on ease of access, the act also offers telehealth services to Veterans so that they can access care anytime it is needed. Here's how Veterans can access care. Read next: 15 Best Summer Vacation Locations Veterans Will Love

What is the MISSION Act?

In 2018 the MISSION Act became a law. This brought the VA’s previous service, the Veterans Choice Program, to an end. This law started the Community Care Program. This created better access for Vets who were facing timely delays in care or were stuck behind state-line prohibited telehealth appointments. Additionally, this act gives Veterans access to community care.

Here's How Vets Can Access Care Through the MISSION Act

The VA provides long-term care for Veterans, and the MISSION Act for Veterans is similar to an extension of the VA’s primary healthcare system. Included in this service are: physicals, annual checkups, and other healthcare-related services. Now, there have been budget cuts and workforce reductions causing the future of the Community Care Program to be unclear. The VA Office of Public Affairs did not respond when asked about how budget cuts would affect the program. However, care is still available for millions of Veterans, and accessing these services are rather straight forward. Here's how you can gain access to quality care through the MISSION Act.

  1. Veterans that are eligible can use VA health care services throughout the US. This includes Vets that are located near clinics in rural areas. Telehealth services are also available.
  2. In order to access the community care benefits, Veterans must be enrolled in a VA health care program.

The VA Takes Care of Your Primary Care Needs

Primary healthcare in the VA is by an appointed doctor who is the first point of contact for Vets in the Veterans Health Administration program. Thus, the first point of contact is the one who establishes a long lasting relationship and keeps track of the little and big things. This person knows you best.The primary care provider is to be overseeing the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). The PACT team does not just include your doctor, but also family members, a caregiver, a registered nurse (RN) care manager, a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or a medical assistant (MA), as well as a clerk. This team puts the Veteran at the focus and addresses all of their needs. If there is a need for a specialty care team, such as oncology or even orthopedics, the PACT will coordinate the appointments for you when the specialists are there. This means that sometimes Veterans must get treatment outside of the VHA.

Program Eligibility, Requirements, and Standards

The Community Care Program covers a wide range of care for Veterans including primary, urgent, emergency, and specialty care. In order to receive authorization for community care, a Veteran must be in or eligible for VA healthcare. The exception is emergency care. The VA must be notified of emergency care within 72 hours. To be eligible for the program, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Veterans must receive prior approval from the VA before receiving care from a community provider.
  • You must be enrolled in VA health care or eligible for VA care without the need to also enroll in the community care program.
  • Access to community care is dependent upon the individual needs of the Vet.
  • Lastly, Veterans will have the option to receive care from a VA medical facility regardless of their eligibility for the community care program.

You may be wondering, “How do I use the VA MISSION Act?” To answer that, the Veteran must go to an in-network provider, otherwise you may be fully responsible for the bills. In addition to the aforementioned requirements for the Community Care Program, at least one of these requirements on the list below must be met to be referred to a provider.

  • The service needed is not provided at a VA health facility.
  • Your state doesn’t have a full-service VA health facility, especially for Veterans living in Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, the U.S. territories of Guam, the American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • A Veteran is under the 40-mile distance requirement, and lives in an eligible location.
  • You cannot receive care within the VA’s drive and wait times standards.
  • A Veteran and their VA provider agree care from in-network community providers is in their best medical interest.
  • You can't get services in a way that meets the VA’s quality standards.

*Please note that not all these requirements have to be met to be eligible.To find more information regarding the MISSION Act, eligibility, and coverage, please contact your primary care provider.Suggest read: Hilarious and Common Military Acronyms & Their Meanings


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