The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will launch its new and improved Community Care Program next week, and veterans being treated at the VA in Butler County will see changes.
The VA’s roll-out of its new Community Care Program will begin on June 6 and will include implementing new portions of the MISSION Act of 2018, which stands for Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks.
VA officials say the MISSION Act will strengthen the nationwide VA Health Care System by “empowering veterans to have more options in their health care decisions.” The new programs will replace the Veterans Choice Program and establishes a new Veterans Community Care Program.
Under the new program, vets will now be able to work with their VA health care provider, or other VA staff, to see if they are eligible to receive community-based care. Even if they are eligible, they can still choose to have the VA provide their care.
The goal of the VA MISSION Act is to strengthen the VA’s ability to recruit and retain doctors; expand telehealth options across state lines; increase access to community care for veterans; and establish an urgent-care benefit that eligible veterans will be able to access in the community.
Veterans are eligible to choose to receive care in the community if they meet any of the following criteria:
- A Veteran needs a service not available at any VA medical facility.
- A Veteran lives in a U.S. state or territory without a full-service VA medical facility. Specifically, this would apply to Veterans living in Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire and the U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- A Veteran qualifies under the “grandfather” provision related to distance eligibility for the Veterans Choice Program.
- VA cannot furnish care in a manner that complies within certain designated access standards. The specific access standards are described below. (Important: Access standards are proposed and not yet final.)
- Average drive time to a specific VA medical facility
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- 30-minute average drive time for primary care, mental health and noninstitutional extended care services.
- Sixty-minute average drive time for specialty care.
Note: Average drive times are calculated by VA using geo-mapping software.
- Appointment wait time at a specific VA medical facility
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- Twenty days for primary care, mental health care and noninstitutional extended care services, unless the Veteran agrees to a later date in consultation with his or her VA health care provider.
- Twenty-eight days for specialty care from the date of request, unless the Veteran agrees to a later date in consultation with his or her VA health care provider.
- 5. The Veteran and the referring clinician agree it is in the best medical interest of the Veteran to receive community care based on defined factors.
- 6. VA has determined that a VA medical service line is not providing care in a manner that complies with VA’s standards for quality.
To help employees prepare for this transformation and others under the MISSION Act, the Butler VA is dedicating the month of May to readiness.
“We are honored to reaffirm our commitment to America’s Veterans,” said Butler VA’s Director Jon Lasell. “Our staff is steadfast in providing health care that meets the needs of our Veterans at the right time and place.”
The Butler VA Health Care System has VA MISSION Act activities planned for Veterans and the community. A VA representative will be on Butler Radio Network’s WISR 680 AM “It’s Your Turn” talk show on Monday, June 3 to discuss more about the program. The Butler VA also has planned some upcoming town halls, and a social media campaign .
The Butler VA serves approximately 25,000 local veterans every year.
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