RBC | Rio Blanco County military veterans may be eligible for the “new and improved” Veteran Community Care Program (formerly the Veterans Choice Program, which ended in 2019) to obtain faster access to VA-funded medical care in their local community from civilian physicians under certain circumstances.
According to va.gov, veterans must receive approval from VA prior to obtaining care from a community provider, in most instances; and be enrolled in or eligible for VA health care. Eligibility is dependent on individual needs and determinations are generally made by VA staff members.
Six criteria, only one of which needs to be met, can qualify a veteran for community care:
- Service needed is not available at a VA medical facility
- Veteran lives in a state without a full-service VA medical facility
- Veteran qualifies under the “Grandfather” provision related to distance eligibility for the Veterans Choice Program
- VA cannot provide care within certain standards of access (to include drive time and/or appointment wait time)
- It is in the veteran’s best medical interest
- A VA Service Line does not meet certain quality standards.
- Providers must be part of the VA network. In some cases, the VA may work with the veteran to find other options for finding a community provider.
For additional information and resources, visit https://www.va.gov/communitycare/index.asp
