Posted on Nov 28, 2014
Veterans choice program now lets some veterans use non-VA facilities. Any experience or thoughts on this?
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As of November 5, 2014, Veterans can choose to see an outside doctor if they fall within the following criteria:
- You have been told by your local VA medical facility that you will need to wait more than 30 days from your preferred date or the date medically determined by your physician.
- Your current residence is more than 40 miles from the closest VA health care facility.
- You need to travel by plane or boat to the VA medical facility closest to your home.
- You face a geographic challenge, such as extensive distances around water or other geologic formations, such as mountains, which presents a significant travel hardship
Here is a link on how to get started:
http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/how_to_get_started.asp
Please let us know about your experience in this program!
- You have been told by your local VA medical facility that you will need to wait more than 30 days from your preferred date or the date medically determined by your physician.
- Your current residence is more than 40 miles from the closest VA health care facility.
- You need to travel by plane or boat to the VA medical facility closest to your home.
- You face a geographic challenge, such as extensive distances around water or other geologic formations, such as mountains, which presents a significant travel hardship
Here is a link on how to get started:
http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/how_to_get_started.asp
Please let us know about your experience in this program!
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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THANK GOD! I almost went scoot scoots dealing with the Phoenix VA for over 3 years. No one should have to endure this amount of bureaucratic red tape just to get care.
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SPC Hunt, I was able to update your post with the information, so that others can quickly get to it. I look forward to reading about other people's experiences in this program, which sounds like a great deal for our veterans!
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SPC Jack Hunt, JR
I should know more about the program in the coming month. I am working with the Patient Advocate at my local VA Hospitol here In Amarillo Texas. My Father and I have had to drive to Lubbock, TX and Albequerque, New Mexico to see specialist that are not available at the local VA Hospitol.
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Please also be aware that the 40 mile distance is calculated using the geodesic or "as the crow flies" method, not the true highway miles. Supposedly this is being looked into by our wonderful people in Washington.
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