VA Health Care
Overview

VA provides a Medical Benefits Package to all enrolled Veterans. This comprehensive plan provides a full range of preventive outpatient and inpatient services within VA health care system. Also, once you enroll in the VA’s health care system, you can be seen at any VA facility across the country.

VA operates an annual enrollment system that helps to manage the provision of health care by providing an overall population of beneficiaries. Additionally, the enrollment system ensures that Veterans who are eligible can get care and ensures that care is given to Veterans who are eligible. VA applies a variety of factors in determining Veterans’ eligibility for enrollment, but once a Veteran is enrolled, that Veteran remains enrolled in the VA health care system.

Do You Qualify? There are many ways that a Veteran may qualify to receive top-notch VA health care at over 1,400 medical centers and clinics across the nation. The VA has highly trained physicians and clinicians that allow the VA to address many specialties. You may also be able to receive assistance with prescription medication. VA health care is portable. Once enrolled, you may receive care at your home facility as well as the nearest VA facility while traveling. If you are a Veteran, and you want low-cost, high-quality health care, please take a moment to see if you qualify.


Apply For VA Health Benefits

With the recent Priority Group 8 Enrollment Relaxation, and other ongoing evaluation and changes by VA, you may now be eligible to enroll with VA for health care services. You can apply for care by completing VA Form 10-10EZ, Application for Health Benefits, and VA will let you know what health care benefits you may qualify for. You can find more information at Applying for Care:

http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/application/


If you need more assistance, you may call VA toll free at 1-877-222-VETS (8387), Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time.


All Veterans are Potentially Eligible

You may be eligible! Below are some of the basic factors that go into determining your eligibility for health benefits:

* Eligibility for most veterans’ health care benefits is based solely on active military service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard (or Merchant Marines during WW II), and discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.
* Reservists and National Guard members who were called to active duty by a Federal Executive Order may qualify for VA health care benefits. Returning service members, including Reservists and National Guard members who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations have special eligibility for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for five years following discharge from active duty.
* Health Care eligibility is not just for those who served in combat.
* Other groups may be eligible for some health benefits. http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/Others.asp
* Veteran’s health care is not just for service-connected injuries or medical conditions.
* Veteran’s health care facilities are not just for men only. VA offers full-service health care to women veterans.

Click here to get started in determining your eligibility for VA health care benefits or click on a menu button to the left to learn about specific programs and benefits:

http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/DetermineEligibility.asp


VA Extends “Agent Orange Benefits” to More Veterans

VA announced recently that it has established a service connection to three diseases linked to herbicide Agent Orange use during the Vietnam War: B cell leukemias; Parkinson’s disease; and ischemic heart disease. The addition of these “presumed” illnesses for Agent Orange simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits for Veterans. For more information, see the VA Extends “Agent Orange” Benefits to More Veterans news release.


Priority Group 8 Enrollment Relaxation Changes

In order to ensure the availability of quality and timely health care to veterans with service connected conditions, special authority based on military service, low income, and those with special health care needs, in January 2003 VA made the difficult decision to stop enrolling new Priority Group 8 (high income) veterans whose income exceeded VA Income Thresholds.

The new regulations went into effect on June 15, 2009 and enable the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to relax income restrictions on enrollment for health benefits. While this new provision does not remove consideration of income, it does increase income thresholds. You may be eligible for enrollment under this new provision.

For more information:

* Relaxation of Priority Group 8 Enrollment Restrictions
http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/PG8Relaxation.asp

* Relaxation of Priority Group 8 Enrollment Restrictions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/FAQs/PG8RelaxationFAQ.asp


An Enrollment Calculator is available to help Veterans determine their potential eligibility for VA health care services under the proposed regulation. Check to see if you qualify under the new rules for VA health care:
http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/apps/enrollmentcalculator/


Benefits on the Go

VA enrollment allows health care benefits to become portable throughout the entire VA system. Enrolled veterans who are traveling or who spend time away from their primary treatment facility may obtain care at any VA health care facility across the country without the worry of having to reapply.
National Pharmacy Customer Care Center

The National Pharmacy Customer Care Center (NPCCC), which will help Veterans with questions regarding their prescriptions, will open soon in 2010. To learn more about how the NPCC will benefit Veterans nationwide, read the National Pharmacy Customer Care Center Fact Sheet: