



The Veterans Choice Program is a new, temporary benefit that allows eligible Veterans to receive health care in their communities rather than waiting for a VA appointment or traveling to a VA facility.
You must have been enrolled in VA health care on or before August 1, 2014, or be eligible to enroll as a recently discharged combat Veteran. You must also meet at least one of the following criteria:
Call the Choice Program Call Center at 866-606-8198 to verify your eligibility and set up an appointment.
No, please call the Choice Program call center at 866-606-8198 to verify eligibility and set up an appointment.
This calculation is based on the distance from your permanent residence (or an active temporary address) to the closest VA facility, including Community-Based Outpatient Clinics and VA Medical Centers.
The law is clear that eligibility must be based on the distance from the Veteran‘s residence to any VA medical facility, even if that facility does not offer the specific medical service the Veteran requires for that particular visit.
VA will calculate the distance between a Veteran‘s residence and the nearest VA medical facility using a straight-line distance, rather than the driving distance. VA is developing an interactive tool that will be available on va.gov beginning in early November for Veterans to determine their potential eligibility for the Choice Program based on their place of residence. Veterans will enter their address information into the tool, and the tool will calculate their distance to the nearest site of VA care, and provide that mileage and information on their eligibility for the Choice Program to the Veteran online.
Yes, the Choice Act does provide the ability to pay for travel to the Choice preferred provider for Veterans who are eligible for Beneficiary Travel. However, the Choice Act did not provide any new Beneficiary Travel eligibility.
You do not need your Choice Card to access the Choice Program. If you didn‘t receive a Choice Card, simply call 866-606-8198 to find out if you are eligible and to make an appointment.
The Choice Program non-VA Provider will issue a prescription with up to a 14 day supply of a National Formulary drug. You may have the 14 day supply prescription filled at any non-VA pharmacy of your choosing and may submit a request for reimbursement to VA. For prescriptions needed past 14 days, please follow standard procedures to fill a prescription at the VA pharmacy.
No, not at all. You do not have to choose between the two—the Choice Program is here to make it easier to access the care you need, close to home. 9: Am I responsible for Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE cost-shares? No, these plans are not considered Other Health Insurance for purposes of the Choice Program. You will not be billed for any of the cost-shares associated with these plans.
VA copays will be billed by VA after the appointment. If you currently pay VA copayments you will be subject to the same copayment requirements under the Choice Program. Your VA copay will be determined by VA after the care is provided. Video Discussion of the Choice Program On June 25, VA hosted a Google+ Hangout to provide Veterans with information about the Veterans Choice Program which allows eligible Veterans to get health care in the community from non-VA doctors. You can watch a 20-minute recording of the event here:
At the eight-minute mark, hear an explanation of the “40-mile rule.” You can click here to get answers to all your questions about the Choice Program, like: