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VA New England Healthcare System

 

Veterans' Healthy Living Winter 2015

VACAA: What You Need to Know

On August 7, 2014, President Obama signed the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (VACAA). This legislation led to the “Veterans Choice Card,” and here are some guidelines about how it will affect Veterans.

Medical provider hoding a notebook

WHAT is a Veterans Choice Card?

It is an actual card—a second card. Your Veterans Health Identification Card will continue to be your primary Veteran card. The Veterans Choice Card should contain the Veteran’s name, unique identification number, VA contact information for coordination of care and billing purposes, and a statement requiring Non-VA providers to verify authorized card use.

WHO will receive a Veterans Choice Card?

Veterans enrolled as of August 1, 2014, will receive one, or Veterans who enroll after that time that served on active duty in a theater or combat operation within five years of deployment.

WHEN can you use the Veterans Choice Card?

Veterans may use the Veterans Choice Card if they:

  1. Are unable to secure a timely appointment (current standard within 30 days) OR meets one of three residency requirements:
  2. Resides more than 40 miles from nearest VA medical facility or community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC), OR
  3. Resides within 40 miles but is required to travel by air, boat, or ferry to reach the nearest VA medical facility or CBOC, OR
  4. Resides in a state without a VA medical facility that provides:
    • Hospital care,
    • Emergency medical services, and
    • Surgical care rated by the Secretary as having a surgical complexity of standard, AND
    • Resides more than 20 miles from a VA medical facility that meets the previous three criteria. Note: all distances are by geodesic (“as the crow flies”).

HOW do you use the Veterans Choice Card?

  • If a Veteran cannot schedule a timely appointment (current standard within 30 days), the Veteran may choose a) to be placed on an electronic waiting list, or (b) to use the Card.
  • If a Veteran is authorized to use the card due to residency (see #2–4 in WHEN can you use the card?), VA will provide the Veteran an option to receive care at a local VA facility or to receive care from a non-VA provider (Veteran chooses a non-VA provider from a list from VA).
  • For Veterans receiving hospital or medical care for non-service-connected conditions, VA is secondarily responsible.
  • If Veteran pays a co-pay to receive medical services at the VA, Veteran will pay the same co-pay to receive medical services with the Veterans Choice Card.
  • Veterans Choice Card enables a Veteran to receive an episode of care for a period not exceeding 60 days. An episode of care includes all ancillary testing and services, treatment, and follow-up care related to the initial referral.

WHERE can you use the Veterans Choice Card?

  • Any health care provider participating in Medicare
  • Any federally qualified health center
  • Department of Defense
  • Indian Health Services
  • Any contracted non-VA provider

Veterans, please remember that you:

  • must opt-in,
  • must disclose other health insurance information to the VA to elect to use this provision,
  • must pay VA copayment as if care was provided in the VA at the time of service, and
  • must pay insurance cost shares for care if you have other health insurance and non-service connected care.


Visit http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/ for more information or to see if you qualify.