Veterans seeking private medical care will no longer need a second referral from a VA doctor

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it has streamlined the process for referring patients to clinicians in private practice to care for veterans when a timely appointment at the VA is not available. Effective immediately, the VA removes a requirement for a veteran to have two referrals from VA doctors before making an appointment for non-VA care.

Although adoption of the Mission Act in 2019 enabled veterans for the first time to receive health coverage for non-VA treatment of their service-connected medical conditions, they were still required to seek a second endorsement from a VA doctor after getting an initial referral, the VA said.


Now, veterans will only need to have a review and approval from their referring VA physician that the non-VA treatment is in their best interest, the VA said. “Now, we’re making it even easier for veterans to get their health care when and where it’s most convenient for them,” Doug Collins, the VA secretary, said in a statement Monday. “We are putting veterans first at the department, and that means placing a premium on customer service and convenience.”

The referrals are to physicians in private practice who are pre-registered in the VA health network to receive reimbursement to care for veterans injuries and illnesses related to military duty.

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Veterans seeking private medical care will no longer need a second referral from a VA doctor

To streamline the process for referring patients to clinicians in private practice, the Department of Veterans Affairs, effective immediately, will remove a requirement for a veteran to have two referrals from VA doctors before making an appointment for non-VA care.

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[Ghoti Ichthus]

It's been that way at this VA since I've been here.
This VA has actually refused to let me see a second VA doc about an issue if a VA doc has already referred me out.

 

[Tall Timbers]

I'm a little confused by this. The VA doctor sends a request for non VA care to what is currently called Community Care. Community Care then works with the patient to choose an outside provider and they put together the referral that authorizes payment for outside care.

That's the way it's been for me for many years now. I don't understand what will change.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

I'm a little confused by this. The VA doctor sends a request for non VA care to what is currently called Community Care. Community Care then works with the patient to choose an outside provider and they put together the referral that authorizes payment for outside care.

That's the way it's been for me for many years now. I don't understand what will change.

I think some places were requiring two docs sign off on a referral to Community Care, like maybe the doc plus head of the clinic, or maybe if the Vet's PCP was a NP or PA a doc was also required. When I was in St. Louis, a LOT of stupid stuff was going on there, and policies and procedures were inconsistent at best.

I had a multiple-month wait to get treated for cancer because three different clinics were fighting over who had to pay for my care in the community. It may well be that I had to have radiation because of the delay, and might not have had to have it if there hadn't been the delay

 

[Tall Timbers]

It's possible that another person/doctor is in the process and the patient isn't necessarilly aware of that.